Pure Valguine
by NightcatMau
Summary: One-shots and a bigger story of Valkyrie/Billy-Ray. Reposted by reader request. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray or Valkyrie. Val is about 22 here, story is Billy-Ray's POV. 'I Drove all Night' is a song by legendary Texan country singer Roy Orbison. Yes, he of the dark sunglasses and business suits.

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I clenched the steering wheel a little more tightly, excited to be gettin' to my little darlin'' at last. I pulled up outside the big mansion she'd inherited, seein' the lights on in her room. I waited until they went out, then tunneled on in. I came up right beside her bed quiet-like and just knelt there and stared at her for the longest time. I reckon that sounds kinda creepy, but I didn't mean her no harm. She was the first woman to be decent like with me, and I wanted to admire her for a while, is all.

She's so beautiful when she's asleep, but I had wanted to be with her for the longest time, so I shook her, gentle like to wake her. She opened those beautiful brown eyes and I reckoned she was happy to see me, because she drug me down by the collar for a big old kiss, and man alive, can that girl kiss!

But I gave as good as I got, I can tell you that. Old Billy-Ray ain't no slouch with the ladies, even if I do say so myself. I don't mean that in a bad way neither. I stay with one woman at a time and that is it! None of that creepin' around or whatever the young men call it today. Disrespectful to women, that's what that is.

I pulled back, smilin' at her like I always do. She always can make me smile, just by lettin' me look at her. Usually 'cause she has my sunglasses off even before I can react. She did it then too, and that generous gesture melted my heart for her all over again. I know what I look like. I CAN see, after all. But it has never bothered her none, exceptin' maybe the first time she saw me, like. But I suspect havin' Bones as a partner done gone her used to hollow eye sockets and all.

"Hey, little darlin'. Sorry to wake you and all, but if you're not doin' anything, I thought you might want to go on a road trip. That is if you want to." I said, makin' sure she knew it was OK if she didn't want to go. I would never force nothin' on my little darlin' and I'll cut the first person who says I will.

She smiled at me, and she has the most beautiful smile, so she could've suggested I do something crazy and I would've, just to make her happy. But she threw herself forward, and tackled me, that cute little football jersey she wears gettin' all scrunched up. But I had insisted she start wearin' shorts underneath, so she looked decent. Lord, how that skeleton let her dress! You'd think he was some kind of pervert or somethin' the way she describes it. Though she is young and innocent like, so she don't know no two ways about it.

But comin' in her room when she is wearin' only a sheet? Not even Bones is that DEAD. But I digress. She got dressed, and I went and waited like a proper gentleman in her livin' room. I wanted this trip to be special since it would be our first, but I was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a rockin' chair factory.

She came out dressed in those clothes that Ghastly fellah made for her. I was glad to see it, since trouble seems to follow that girl everywhere. Plus I like seein' her dressed like a lady. All she'd needed was a Stetson and she'd been right at home in Texas. Well, maybe with better boots.

I escorted her to the door, proper like, and opened the door of the rental car for her. She kissed me for the gesture, and I don't know how I kept from sinkin' straight into the ground, but I did. There's a BIG difference between a kiss from a girl who loves you and one who don't and I should know, seein' as how the last one didn't care a lick for me. So every time my little darlin' kissed me it was like the first time and I was always hopin' it wouldn't be the last.

She had my door open for me when I came around, and that touched me too. She's a thoughtful girl, and that is a rare thing nowadays. So many of them seem so selfish and cold. But my little darlin' wass always nice to me like that. I got to admit we weren't always so in love. I blush to admit it, but I used to try and kill her on a regular basis, and she'd be mean as a rattlesnake right back. Stealin' my straight razor, cuttin' me with a sword and leavin' me to have my insides burn like hellfire, but we just kissed one day, not even meanin' to, and all that changed.

But I'm digressin' again. she tells me I talk too much, but that night she was happy to hear from me about everything I could think of. I even ran out of things to say, and she settled back to listen to the radio, quiet like.

We drove for hours, until we reached the place I had picked out. I know Ireland is her country and all, but parts of it remind me of Texas. There was this bit of flat land with a little old cabin on it for rent, and I had grabbed it for the weekend not even able to believe they had cabins in Ireland. I suspect that don't make me sound too smart, but they looked just like the ones I was used to seein' back home in the States.

As we walked on the porch I wished fiercely that I could have her home and she'd stay, but I hadn't asked her anything that serious yet. I wanted as much time as possible with my little darlin' and I was sure she'd run if I moved too fast, though I'd have been happy to have been married then and there. I opened the door and escorted her in, resistin' the urge to carry her across the threshold. I just loved her so much sometimes that ideas like that popped into my head. The cabin was nice, done up in Southwest fashion, and she looked perfect in it.

She made a beeline for the couch before the roarin' fireplace that had come on for her with just the click of a control then got on he knees to call me over to see it over the back of the couch. I resisted the urge to tunnel over. I liked appearin' as normal as possible to her. She got my sunglasses off again as soon as I was on the couch, and it made me as happy as it always did. I liked bein' with a woman who wasn't afraid of the way I looked. I know it had to be hard starin' into empty sockets and tryin' to guess at where I was lookin' and the like but she did a fine job of always meetin' my gaze.

I leaned into her, gentle like and kissed her, strokin' her hair and feelin' my heart tear in a million pieces like it always did. Because as much as I loved her, I didn't see how it could ever work out. Had she been in Texas I know she'd have been a Ranger, and huntin' me down. How she wasn't arrestin' me now was a mystery to me. "Billy-Ray." She breathed, all soft and delicate like, and I had to pull back. As temptin' as she was, I wasn't about to take advantage, even if she invited me to without knowin' it. I had separate beds made up for us, and she seemed a little disappointed at the idea, but I told her it was only proper like.

We'd only been seen' each other six months, and although I didn't tell her, I wasn't about to ruin things between us by sleepin' with her before we was married. I knew she'd probably laugh and call me old-fashioned, but I knew she was the one for me, so I was just fine with waitin' on her as long as it took.

* * *

The next mornin' my little darlin' looked beautiful as she stepped out on the porch. It was a sunny, warm mornin' like back in Texas, and I'd had breakfast brought to us there by the owner. She kissed me in thanks, meltin' my heart somethin' fierce. I held her tight to me, wantin' to already be married, but realizin' I would be movin' way too fast by askin' just then, so I led her to the table and held her chair for her. I was gentle as I pushed it in, careful not to hurt her. I enjoyed any chance I got to show her my gentle side, she'd seen enough of my violent side to last her a lifetime, and the thought put a lump in my throat.

Then she spoke and I froze right above her, not wantin' to miss any of her words. "Billy-Ray?"

"Yes, little darlin'?"

"Did you bring me here to ask me to marry you? Because if you did, my answer is 'yes'." At those beautiful words I felt myself start to go straight down into the ground and had to catch myself on the back of her chair.

She had turned to tell me those wonderful words, so she reached out and held onto me like, and her touch let me get my magic back under control. I was OK to stand, then kneel in front of her, fishin' the box I'd been carryin' around for a spell out of my pocket.

"Valkyrie Cain, will you do my the honour of marryin' me?" I asked, presentin' the ring to her. Maybe it wasn't as huge a diamond as I would have liked, but her eyes lit up like the stars in Texas night skies, and she said "Yes."

I kissed her then, slippin' the ring onto her finger, proud as anything to have her as my fiancee. I knew I had the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with in my arms, and I was never lettin' her go.

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**Awww. If Billy-Ray stays that sweet I'll let him speak more often.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Pretty Woman**

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A/N: I still don't own Billy-Ray or Valkyrie. Val is about 22 here. This is just randomness, so don't expect much. WARNING: My Billy-Ray talks funny, he's developed into it and refuses to learn to speak proper like. Lord, now he has me doing it. Thanks to **SP** for reviewing Chapter 1.

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I knew exactly why Billy-Ray wanted me to meet him in a mall. The man was afraid I'd set him on fire. I was livid that we had been made partners in Skulduggery's extended absence, and the way he walked when he approached didn't help things a bit. He had a swagger to the way he walked as if he assumed the entire world needed to know he was a hitman and I could feel the hollow eye sockets behind his sunglasses locked onto me. He was smiling, as if I were the only woman on the planet he wanted to see and I already wanted to kill him.

He walked up to me, his smile growing. "Well, hello there, little darlin'. I thought we could meet for coffee or the like and get to know one another better seein' as how we're gonna be partners." He grinned again.

I grabbed him by the collar and drug him down to eye level, our faces almost touching. "You will NEVER be my partner." I growled. Billy-Ray smiled, then leaned in and kissed me. I let go of his collar in shock and he straightened up laughing.

Billy-Ray folded me into his chest, and I snarled, my face hidden as he stroked my back. "Now come on now, little darlin'. Ain't our cover supposed to be as a couple? Go on now and put your arms around my waist. That's right and look up at me, nice like. Good. Now smile at me, little darlin'. Thats right, just like that." He smiled, enjoying himself as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Billy-ray, I hate you." I said, still smiling. He threw back his head and laughed.

* * *

We did get coffee, Billy-Ray insisting on paying. "Wouldn't it look funny if you all paid for your own coffee, little darlin'?"

"Fine, but don't call me that." I said as he carried our coffee to a small table. He drew out my seat for me then pushed it in gently. I had expected him to shove it into the table, to be honest.

"Now come on now, you know you like it. A woman should be treated like she's special. Though I can call you Valkyrie if that's what you have your heart set on, it don't sound near as so romantic as me callin' you something sweet like."

I just stared at him, trying to process what he said into normal English. I'd met Texans before and none of them managed to mangle the English language in quite the way William Raymond Sanguine could. He seemed to mistake my staring for actual affection. "See, little darlin'? All you all needed was a man to treat you right."

I sipped my coffee and looked away from him into the mall, not answering. I wanted to kill the man for a lot of reasons. For the scar on my hand, for the time he had his hands around my throat, for the time he dove back into the ground, abandoning me to what he thought was certain death. I hated the man so bad I couldn't think straight. I groaned, massaging my temples.

"Somethin' the matter, little darlin'? Got a headache comin' on? I know a trick to fix that up, right quick." Before I could protest he took a small jar of something out of his pocket, then got up and positioned himself behind me, setting the jar down, open and dipping his fingers into the cream inside.

"Pull your hair out of the way, please, little darlin'. That's it, Lord, you're tense. Relax your shoulders. That's it. Feels good, doesn't it, gettin' a massage? All nice and friendly like, like a couple should be." He purred, and I shivered slightly. His strong hands worked on my neck and shoulders, reaching deftly beneath my clothing to massage the cream in and I felt the tension melt away. It had to be something in the cream, I guess, but I relaxed into his touch and felt the headache fade away.

Billy-Ray withdrew his hands and clasped my shoulders gently, then leaned down to kiss my cheek before returning to his seat. He grinned at me, clearly enjoying our cover, and I surprised myself by smiling back at him.

* * *

We strolled around the mall, Billy-Ray insisting on putting an arm around me. Usually my gut response would be to elbow a guy if he did that, and it was then too, but he insisted we keep up our cover, even though as far as I was aware our case had nothing to do with the mall. "Practice, little darlin." He said happily, pulling me close enough that I could feel the heat of his skin through his clothes. I wanted to cry. Mainly because I wanted to hit him and couldn't. Why did this creep have to be my partner?

We found a way to walk in step with one another and once I relaxed it wasn't too bad, well it was, because Billy-Ray apparently had no off switch. He kept up an endless stream of comments on every store we passed. "Well, now, will you look at that. How they get away with makin' clothes that skimpy for women today I don't rightly know, but I'm sure glad you don't dress like that, little darlin'."

"Um, thanks, I think. Billy-Ray, do you travel a lot?"

"All over, little darlin'. Why you askin'?" He asked, seemingly happy that I was at last answering.

"You sound, well, I've never met a man like you before, Billy-Ray."

He grinned at me. "Told you you were sweet on me, it's on account of the Texan accent, that's what does it." I didn't have the heart to tell him that I'd never met another Texan that talked like him and I sincerely hoped not to. I knew Billy-Ray was supposed to be highly intelligent, but if he was, he did an excellent job of hiding it.

We passed a store selling music, and Billy-Ray stopped us so fast I almost got whiplash. "Well, will you look at that. An actual music store." He said, steering me in.

"They still have music stores? I download everything." I admitted.

Billy-Ray shook his head in amusement, but at least he released me while he roamed the store. It took a while, but at last my would-be partner rejoined me, several CDs in a bag he managed to slip into his jacket.

Billy-Ray looked at his watch, then glanced at me wistfully. "Well, looks like it is time for us to part company little darlin'. " But even as he said this, his head whipped up, and he glared at two men approaching. Necromancers, but they surely weren't stupid enough to use magic in public? Apparently they were as they started to gather shadows, and people started to scream. Billy-Ray grabbed me from behind and we sank into the ground, the shadows narrowly missing us.

Billy-Ray was traveling quickly, holding me tightly. "Been a while since we've done this, hasn't it? I suppose we'll be in trouble for usin' magic in public as well, but I wanted us out of there right quick."

"I won't say anything if you don't." I said as he paused, the stopped. "What's the matter, are you hurt, Billy-Ray?" I asked, worried that we'd be stuck underground forever. But he only shook his head in reply.

"I'm fine, it's just, well, you really don't like me much, do you, little- Sorry, Valkyrie. Though it should be Miss Cain. My mama taught me manners." I sensed that he smiled at me proudly, then continued. "I seem to recollect tryin' to make conversation with you before, and you didn't want nothin' to do with me. Though I suppose you reckon that I talk enough for both of us, huh?"

"Well, you're usually trying to kill me, Billy-Ray, there isn't much to talk about then. That and you swear at me. I'm sorry Billy-Ray, but real Southern gentlemen aren't supposed to swear at women, are they?"

"Well not Southern women, leastwises. Well, not at ladies. There you go." I realized he was trying to be friendly, not realizing how badly he'd insulted me. Lord, the man really was thick. He tightened his arms around me, and I thought he was going to start moving again. so I secured me grip around him.

Billy-Ray leaned in and kissed me again, and I somehow managed not to bite him. He drew back, and his voice sounded happy as he started to move again. "Just gettin' more practice in, Valkyrie. Don't you worry none. Though it would help things along greatly if you kissed me back."

"I'll keep that in mind. Billy-Ray, why did you join the Sanctuary?"

"So I could see you, little darlin'. I mean, Valkyrie. You never would look at me edgewises before and now you have to look at me all day on of account of us bein' partners. I got a lot of patience, and I'll last as a detective until the day you kiss me back. But for real kissin' me back. I know what fake feels like. I had that before." His voice sounded sad, and for some reason it was a terrible sound coming from him.

I knew it was a mistake, but I kissed him then, startling him into stopping. He returned my kiss, his response surprisingly tender. He started to trail kisses down my neck, then stopped and laughed softly. "Almost forgot we're underground. let's get us some fresh air then we can kiss proper like. Well, after we get those two who were throwin' shadows at us."

We surfaced and I realized Billy-Ray had put the length of the mall between us and the Necromancers. I couldn't understand why until he turned to me. "Wait, here now. I'll be back directly." He dove back into the ground, and surged up behind them much faster than he had traveled with me.

Billy-Ray swung his razor, catching them both as they turned, dropping them as the few people left in the mall, cowered behind store displays. I was running by then, and as a detective it should have been my job to arrest him, but he had saved innocent people, as violent as his tactics were.

I stopped, staring at him, and he stared back, smiling cheerfully. "I did wait to swing my razor until after you kissed me, I kept my promise. I never am goin' to make a good detective, I reckon. Thank you kindly for the kiss, but I suppose we both know it would never work out, me bein' a hitman and you a detective and all. Goodbye, Miss Cain, always a pleasure."

With that he sunk back into the ground and was gone.

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**Billy-Ray was** **actually sweet.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Night I Called The Old Man Out**

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A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray, Tanith, Skulduggery, Ghastly, Rippers or Valkyrie. Valkyrie is about 26 here and the story is in her point of view. 'The Night I Called The Old Man Out' is a song by Garth Brooks. Thanks to **PierDreams** and **SP** for reviewing!

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Why did things like this always have to happen to me? I'd thought as I backed away, the Ripper advancing, swinging both his sickles. He'd cut me several times already and the blood loss was making me woozy. I was barely blocking his attacks with my Elemental magic now, and I knew I'd be dead soon. Just my luck to find a rouge Ripper and feel the need to bring him in on my own. I sank to my knees, barely snapping out my palms in time to send a weak buffet of air towards him, the Ripper advanced, ready to deliver the killing blow.

The ground started to rumble and shake, and he paused, a fatal mistake. The ground exploded upwards directly behind him and he was drug under, his sickles striking uselessly at the ground. The ground closed over him and I bent my head down, panting. Billy-Ray Sanguine was here, and he obviously wanted to be the one to kill me.

I tried to rise, to run before he came back, but the ground erupted again and he grabbed me in his strong arms. I fought even as we went under, and I felt him press his straight razor to my neck. "Now I'm here to help you, little darlin'. I'd show some appreciation if I were you." He growled in my ear.

"You never help anyone but yourself, Billy-Ray." I snarled. "You're going to kill me anyways, so just get it over with."

"Shut up or I'll leave you here." His voice was ice cold. I would have retorted, but the blood loss caught up with me and I blacked out.

* * *

I came to to find myself bandaged and resting on an old cot. We seemed to be in an abandoned mine if I could tell by the walls. Billy-Ray sat across from me in an old wooden chair sharpening his straight razor, and he grinned cheerfully to see me awake. "Hey, little darlin'! Welcome back to the land of the living. It was a near thing with your loosing all that blood, but I patched you up just fine. I've got other talents besides being an Adept, you know."

I tried to sit up, but was too weak. "Not that I'm not grateful, Billy-Ray, but why would you save me? Your normally trying to kill me."

"Well now, little darlin'. I think the answer to that would be obvious. You're all grown up now, aren't you? I can think of more interesting things to do than for us to fight."

I closed my eyes, this couldn't be happening. "You brought me here to rape me?"

"No!" He growled, angry. "I ought to just leave you here! I am a gentleman and I'll thank you kindly to remember that. How could you even think that of me, Valkyrie? I guess I was wrong about you." He got up and glared at me angrily, then left the small room we were in. I sighed and tried very hard not to cry. Why did it hurt so much to have him angry at me? It wasn't as if I had any feelings for him.

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Billy-Ray nursed me back to health for the next several days, not mentioning how he felt for me again. He was angry now, but he didn't take it out on me. He simply didn't speak to me, or smile, and neither way of acting was normal for him. True he had a bad temper, but it always blew over as quickly as it came on. This was the steady anger of a man whose honour had been wounded by the woman he loved.

At last I apologized. "Billy-Ray, I'm sorry. It was the blood loss, I wasn't thinking clearly. I- You've proven you're a gentleman and I apologize."

He smiled broadly. "Apology accepted, little darlin'. I reckon I ought not to get so angry with you right now, but you do have a way of riling me up without meaning to. But I think that's what I like about you. You aren't afraid of me, and I like that." We were sitting on the end of the bed, and he hesitated, then leaned in and kissed me. His lips were much softer that I'd ever imagined the could be, and I returned the kiss willingly. Billy-Ray broke off the kiss to grin broadly at me.

"Only one more test, little darlin'. Then I'll be happy to kiss you whenever you like." He grinned, removing his sunglasses, his hollow eye sockets watching me closely. But I could feel the adoration in his gaze, so I leaned in and kissed him again. His hands were on my ribs holding me gently, when we heard shouting. Billy-Ray stood up abruptly.

"Looks like the calvary is here for you, little darlin'. Don't fight 'em now, they mean well. Go. I'll catch up with you directly." With that he walked straight into the wall and I looked over as Skulduggery, Tanith and Ghastly burst into the room.

Skulduggery gathered me into his arms, carrying me through the darkened mine shaft, Ghastly providing light from a summoned flame. Tanith looked enraged, like she knew she'd just missed a chance to kill Billy-Ray. "We got an anonymous tip that you'd been abducted by Billy-Ray." Skulduggery said. I knew without asking Billy-Ray had been the one to tell them, since he'd left the Ripper buried alive somewhere.

* * *

Tanith was angry with me, and she stalked back and forth as she lectured me. I'd made the mistake of standing up for Billy-Ray, telling her the truth about what happened. "Do you know what kind of monster he is? Do you know the things that Remnant did with him? You are not ever seeing him again, sis. and that's final. He must have drugged you, because you're talking like a crazy woman."

I didn't protest, just nodded in agreement. Maybe she was right, maybe he was a monster. He was supposed to have been in love with her. Maybe helping me and seducing me would have been a twisted form of revenge, but why bother calling the Sanctuary then? Why give me back unharmed? Or had he tricked me into loving him? I was hurt and confused when Tanith at last left the mansion, and all I wanted to do was to avoid everyone for a few weeks. It hurt too much to think Billy-Ray had tricked me, it hurt even worse to think he was still in love with Tanith and using me for revenge.

I resolved then to lock away whatever feelings I had for him. He clearly didn't love me, he couldn't. I kept telling myself that, kept telling myself anything, as the days stretched into weeks and he didn't return. Billy-Ray had had his revenge, and loving him would scar my heart worse that the scar his straight razor had once left on my hand.

* * *

I was sitting in the moonlit garden just staring into space when the ground erupted before me. I didn't attack, I didn't run. I just stared at Billy-Ray dully. He looked at me, his own smile fading. "Not happy to see me, little darlin'?" Hi voice was soft.

"You used me to get back at Tanith, didn't you?" I asked, hurt.

Anger came instantly to his handsome features. "Is that all you think of me? You think I'm stupid enough to think she ever loved me? I knew that Remnant was toying with me, using me. I thought you on the other hand could love me, could trust me. Guess I was wrong, huh?"

I hung my head, confused. Everyone was telling me how dangerous he was, how heartless. But the hands he put on my shoulders were gentle.

"Come on, little darlin'. You know me better than that. Would I have helped you if I hated you? Would I be here now if I didn't care about you? I'd have just left and you know I would have." I looked up at him, wanting to trust him but afraid to. Billy-Ray gently helped me rise, looking at me from behind his sunglasses. He touched my face softly. "I love you little darlin', but I won't be back until I know you feel the same way and trust me to love you in return."

He went to walk away, but I grabbed him, kissing him urgently, unwilling to loose him for a second time. Billy-Ray returned the kiss, deepening the connection, his strong arms wrapping around me. I pulled back slightly to remove his sunglasses, and the searing kiss he gave me then seemed to last for an eternity. Billy-Ray didn't have to say a word. He knew I was his now.

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**Oh, 'directly' is a Southern US expression. It doesn't mean instantly, more closer to "I'll be back when I'm back." the way it is commonly used. 'Calling the old man out' is an expression meaning to have a showdown with your dad or another older man, never a good idea.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Desperado**

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A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray or Valkyrie. 'Desperado' is a song by the Eagles. Val is 26 here, the story is still in her POV and this is set about seven months after the last chapter. Thanks to **SP** and a **Guest** for the reviews!

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Coming to Texas had been a mistake. All Billy-Ray and I ever did was fight, and today had been a bad one. I had saddled up and taken off after and now I was riding in a pouring rain that did nothing to cool my anger. The thing was, I didn't even have any idea what we had fought about, I never did. We would both just suddenly explode.

I knew I had to go back to Ireland, I had no choice. God knows I loved the man, I truly did. But Billy-Ray was headstrong. I'd broken horses on his ranch with better attitudes. His ranch. Every blasted thing I saw was his and it made me uneasy. I shifted in the saddle.

I didn't like being out of Ireland, I liked feeling like a kept woman even less. Billy-Ray and I weren't sleeping together, and maybe that explained his bad moods, but I wasn't ready yet. He hadn't shown me he was serious, and I was feeling edgy. I sighed and turned my horse around, heading back for the ranch. It did no good to get angry at him, it never did. He'd apologize later and so would I. I got the feeling he didn't know why we fought any more than I did, since he always looked confused once he cooled off. I slowed as I approached the ranch. Something was seriously wrong.

We only had a few hands, but I should have seen some of them moving about even in the rain. There was always something to do on a ranch, always. Then I lifted the brim of my black cowboy hat slightly and my heart froze. The door to the ranch house was hanging of its hinges. I spurred my horse, and she went on. She was a good filly with sense enough to know it was OK to go towards the rambling ranch house this time. I tied her reins to a porch post and she happily took to the grass the men tried so hard to keep alive.

I drew out my gun, and entered the ranch house slowly. But even before my sweep was finished I knew Billy-Ray was gone. I cursed. He might be good with a straight razor, and he was a hitman, but whoever or whatever had taken him must have put him through the wringer. There were copious amounts of blood and smashed furniture and I wondered why he hadn't tunneled away. Unless he was too hurt to. I knew he still had trouble from the scar I'd given him, although he never said a word. Of course he had been trying to kill me at the time.

I wanted him to be there then, and knelt among the wreckage, trying to sense where he'd been taken. Dusty, one of the hands came in, cursing. He helped me rise, his tanned and lined face serious. "Don't worry none, he's been through worse. Though it is usually him leavin' a place lookin' like this. I ain't been at it in a while, but I reckon I'm still a fairly good tracker. Rain might help us, if they left tracks. Well come on then, we're burnin' daylight little missy."

Dusty was the ranch boss as well as a hand and I knew he was the closest thing Billy-Ray had to a father. The much older Adept had been a criminal, he still was, but he was a good man all the same where Billy-Ray was concerned.

He grabbed two shotguns and we went out to his four by four. We'd have to use the shotguns instead of magic to keep a low profile. The American Sanctuary taking a profound and deadly dislike to magical killers. Dusty took one look at the tyre tracks I hadn't even spotted and closed his eyes for a minute. He stroked his black mustache slightly, then smiled.

He could track just from seeing a track then letting his mind drift. I think it was something like Finbar Wrong could do, but he insisted it was a pure Adept ability. Whatever it was, I was grateful as he put the truck into drive and headed West. He glanced over at me as he drove. "Maybe it ain't my place to say nothin', but don't you think it is about time you all got hitched?"

"Billy-Ray hasn't asked, Dusty. I don't think the man is interested."

Dusty laughed. "You got a lot to learn about men, little missy. He's already been burnt by that fire once, so he ain't about to ask you to marry him. He's been waitin' on you to say something."

"Now I feel stupid."

"Don't. He wouldn't have brought you here if he weren't serious like. Billy-Ray's a good man. Even if he does kill people for a livin'."

I laughed, the man had a point. 'Deperado' came on the radio, and Dusty laughed again. "That song fits both of you all. The two orneriest critters I ever did see. But you make sure you tell him how you feel, you hear?"

I nodded and settled back in my seat before answering. "I want to marry him, Dusty. I've been waiting on him to say something. We deserve each other, I'll give us that. Do you think- Do you think he's even alive? I've never seen that much blood."

"He's alive all right, you ain't never seen the pattern before I reckon, but that's the mess he makes when he swings that razor. I've told that boy to get hisself a gun before, but oh no, he's got to be difficult and do things his way."

I nodded silently, praying he was right. Billy-Ray couldn't be dead, because if he was I was going to do things to the people that killed him they didn't even have names for yet, and I didn't want to go down that road if I didn't have to.

* * *

We at last pulled up off the road hours later and Dusty got out, grabbing our shotguns. He handed one to me silently and we walked up a trail I could barely see in the moonlight. The trail was muddy, washed out in some places but already drying back into rock-hard ground, which made the awful muck grab at our boots. I was glad for my duster because nights out here in the canyons was cold. Dusty held up a hand and I could see why. Not far away a small fire burned, and two rough looking men sat facing each other, arguing.

"I saw we just kill 'im now and still demand the ransom." The first one spoke, tilting his hat back angrily.

The second sneered. "You think I want to smell anymore dead bodies? He already took out four of our men before I hit him, look at him. Fixin' to get loose ain't you, boy?" He had a cruel voice, and the Bowie knife he picked up did nothing to help my impression of him.

He went over to Billy-Ray, jerking his head up by his blond hair. Billy-Ray snarled at him in defiance. "I don't know what's worse about you, your ugly face or your breath." He sneered.

Dusty smiled faintly beside me. He was a gifted telepath as well, so I heard his thoughts loud and clear. "There's only the two of them, and they ain't about to come along peaceful like. We're gonna have to kill them and kill them now if you're fixin' on taking Billy-Ray home." He looked at me and I nodded with a sigh.

"On three then. I got the one to the left. One, two, three." We raised our shotguns in unison and I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Dusty had loaded them with dimes, and my shot made a God awful mess out of the bad guy's head.

They both dropped and the biggest smile I'd ever seen came across Billy-Ray's face as we stepped into the firelight. "Little darlin'! Didn't reckon you'd be riding out for me anytime soon."

Dusty snorted and worked on the cuffs Billy-Ray was wearing and they soon came off. Billy-Ray stood. Other than having taken a good hit to the back of the head he seemed none the worse for wear.

"We can't let you go to sleep tonight, son. I'll be in the truck. You all can come along directly." Dusty said. He walked off leaving Billy-Ray and I there alone. I looked down at the bodies which were catching fire now, having both pitched into the fire.

"Shouldn't we be moving them somewhere?" I asked, but Billy-Ray only shook his head, stopping to wince in pain.

"Won't nobody be out this ways, and if they are they aren't up to no good. What made you come out, little darlin'? If I recollect correctly, you tore out of the ranch on your horse the last time I saw you."

"We'd fought, Billy-Ray, and I hate fighting with you. God knows what we're going to be like when we're married." I tossed the comment out there, half afraid he'd noticed, and half afraid he wouldn't.

Billy-Ray grinned at me. "I reckon if we were married I wouldn't get so riled up, leastways we'd have a lot more fun makin' up if I did." He came forward wrapping his arms around me, kissing me deeply, and it was as if all the arguments of the last several months had never happened.

* * *

**OK I need to apologize, first NEVER load dimes into a shotgun, it is a device from Western movies that can ruin the shotgun, and it doesn't do the damage it sounds like it should unless you are in close range. Secondly, I'm honored to know plenty of Texans, and not a single one of them talks like Billy-Ray or Dusty. That accent and mangled use of the English language is mainly kept alive in country music and Western movies. Though my English is worse, so I ain't sayin' nothin'.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?**

* * *

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray or Valkyrie. Dusty is my OC though. Val is 27 here I think. It's several months after the last chapter. 'Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?' is a song by George Jones, a great old time country singer who passed away this morning, 4/26/13. R.I.P. George! I remember being raised on your music!

* * *

Billy-Ray had an arm around my waist as we slow danced to George Jones. 'Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?' came on and he smiled.

"He sure can sing, can't he?" He asked, drawing back slightly to look at me fondly with his hollow eye sockets. We'd been married several months now, and Billy-Ray had proven to be a much better husband than I though he'd be. He might be a country boy, but he was also a Southern gentleman. He didn't drink or smoke, and he watched his language around me. Of course he was still a homicidal maniac, and after the night I rescued him I could feel him itching to get me to go to work with him.

The song ended and he clasped me close to him, resting my head on his strong chest. "Little darlin', I don't reckon you'd like to come with me this time? I know you don't exactly go in for killin', but I just thought I'd ask all the same." His voice was gentle and I knew he doubted I'd go with him.

My mother hadn't raised a fool, and I knew even the best men strayed if a woman wouldn't stand by them. Lord, now I was thinking in Tammy Wynette lyrics. I grinned and looked up at him. "Of course I'll go with you. That is if it isn't going to be a problem with the people who hired you."

"It better not be a problem, or I'll be makin' another hit after I collect our money. Besides, with you along I'm chargin' double." He grinned hugely.

The thing was, I knew he wasn't joking. I just hoped I'd make myself useful, though if Billy-Ray was in danger it would be a given.

* * *

Billy-Ray got me my own straight razor before we left, insisting it was better than a gun or magic because it was harder to trace. The truth was, the man had a mean streak a mile wide, and he liked making people suffer. I knew because he'd tried to kill me on more than one occasion in the past. Once he was satisfied I could swing the razor without doing damage to myself we started packing. Something was making him uneasy and I realized at last he was looking down at my scarred hand. The scars from his straight razor never healed, and I now had a tan that made it all the more visible.

It would pain me from time to time as well, but I just tried to never hold anything in that hand for long. The truth was it was getting worse lately, not better, and I wasn't about to go back to Ireland to search for Dr. Nye to heal it. I had shaken the hand absently when a pain came on and he stared at me hard. "I thought you said that hand didn't bother you none. You know how I feel about people who lie to me, little darlin'."

He was looking at me angrily and I wondered if he'd attack. I'd never fooled myself into thinking he was completely safe. I simply trusted the man not to kill me in my sleep because it wouldn't have been any fun for him. I sighed. "What good would it have done to tell you the truth, Billy-Ray? It usually is fine, there's just something wrong lately. I can't even use magic in that hand anymore."

"What?" He adjusted his sunglasses to cover his tone, but he sounded horrified.

"Billy-Ray, had you even succeeded in killing me we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. You hated me, and you know you did, so don't lie and say you didn't. You're a cruel man when you hate people. You're vindictive for the fun of it. " I waved my good hand at him, shelving the issue.

Billy-Ray's face softened for a minute and I thought he was going to hold me, then his face hardened. "You all sure can carry a grudge, do you know that? I never did like that about you."

"I'm not carrying a grudge, Billy-Ray. This is exactly why I didn't tell you. Suddenly everything is my fault. You even told me it was my fault before when you tried to kill me. I might love you Billy-Ray, but there are days when I can't stand you."

"Now I'm gonna give you a chance to take that back, because I know you didn't mean it, little darlin'." His voice was high and tight but my hand was throbbing in pain so badly that I was spoiling for a fight.

The pain intensified to the point when I gritted my teeth and hissed. Billy-Ray unfortunately took it as a challenge and he sneered back at me. "You don't have to continue packin', I can handle this one on my own, I'll be back directly. If I feel like comin' back, that is." That did it. The humiliation of no longer being able to use my magic doubled with the pain flowed to the surface and I hauled off and slapped him across the face with my good hand. He stepped back several paces, shock spreading across his handsome features.

He raised a hand to his face, rubbing it while he glared at me. At that moment the pain intensified to nothing I'd ever felt before, going through my whole body. I gave a yelp and sank to my knees. Billy-Ray had his arms around me then, lifting me to the bed. The pain was blazing through me now, and I looked at him, barely seeing him as my vision drifted into a white haze. Only dimly could I hear Billy-Ray shouting for Dusty. "Get in here, quick! She's Surgin'."

* * *

I didn't know how long it was, but I awoke to feel a cold wet compress being stroked gently across my face and neck. I looked at Billy-Ray, and he smiled faintly. "You scared us there for a while, little darlin'. I thought I was gonna loose you, and you know I don't want my little Irish hellcat goin' anywhere without me." He leaned forward, kissing my forehead gently, before placing a new wet compress there. "Hush now, little darlin'. Don't try to speak none. Shhh, hush."

"But Billy-Ray, I hit you." I said weakly.

He smiled fondly at me. "Tweren't nothin'. Shoot, I killed three people when my Surge was comin' on, and they was all relations."

Dusty was slouched against the wall opposite the bed. "You'd have killed them all anyhow, Billy-Ray. You always did take a special dislikin' to your blood relations." Dusty looked over at me speculatively. He'd recently stopped dyeing his hair and mustache, so now they were both grey shot through with silver. He looked weary, so did Billy-Ray.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Two days, and that husband of yours hasn't left your side, nor slept nor ate in all that time either."

"Billy-Ray, the hit. Don't tell me you missed it on my account?" I sat up shakily.

"Now you hush. You were in no condition to be left alone and we've got all the time in the world for such things later." He soothed. He shot Dusty a glare. "She didn't need to know that. It ain't like you've slept or ate none either. I could sure use some coffee right now, and we do all need to eat. I don't reckon we got any steak done up or coffee ready?"

Dusty shrugged. "I don't reckon we do, but I'll get to the coffee and steak directly. Are you gonna tell her, or do I?" Billy-Ray glared at him again and Dusty shook his head before turning to me. "When a Surge happens that strong, there's usually a trigger. In this case it was on account of you bein' pregnant. We had a magical doc out to see you, and the first thing the genius who got you pregnant did was ask how it happened. Pitiful."

He shook his head and left us alone. Billy-Ray blushed and ducked his head when I looked at him. "I _knew_ how it happened. We just never had the discussion, and all. I reckon now you might be fixin' to kill me, seeing as how we never planned for it and the like. I already got a lecture on my general stupidity from Dusty, so you can go right on ahead and add your two cents worth."

"How far along?" I asked.

"Not quite sure, we know it is twins, but the doc said he could come back and fix things if that's what you wanted. I said the decision is up to you."

"Come back and _fix_ things? I'm pregnant, not broken, Billy-Ray. Nobody is taking my babies away from me." I growled.

Billy-Ray smiled gently at me. "I was hopin' you'd say that. Now you just lie back and rest a spell. I'll get you up when we have something fit for you to eat."

I moved over before I laid back down and patted the bed. I knew I must have been a sight, but Billy-Ray happily got in bed, fully dressed and held me to him, under the covers, stroking my head softly.

"If we've still got time, I'd love to go on that hit with you, Billy-Ray. They say babies learn from whatever the mother does while in the womb."

"You mean it, little darlin'? But you don't take to killin' natural like, leastwises I don't think you do."

"I've killed gods Billy-Ray, and anyone who is going to try and kill you as your hits usually do I take a profound and instant dislike to."

He kissed my forehead murmuring an affirmation of wanting me there, and I drifted to sleep in his arms.

* * *

**Note: I know, I know. 'You all' is starting to creep back in and I keep using little instead of lil'. My Billy-Ray talks funny. Anyhow not sure if I should show the first hit next, or skip ahead in time so I can bring Dallas and Billy-Ray Jr. back. I just love those two kids.**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray, Tanith, or Valkyrie. Dusty is my OC though. Val is still 27, and the story is in her POV. This one goes out to my favourite outlaw country singer, Mr. Willie Nelson, happy 80th birthday, Willie! 'On the Road Again' is one of his songs. He's Texan, by the way.

* * *

Dusty stopped me as Billy-Ray and I were leaving several days later, pressing a Colt Peacemaker into my hand. "You're magic ain't gonna be worth spit now, little lady. Billy-Ray won't be too happy, but I'd prefer you carry a gun, I reckon you know how to use one?"

I nodded and clipped the holster to my belt, then got in the truck with Billy-Ray helping me up. He had several vehicles he liked to use on hits, but he used the truck whenever he might need to transport dead bodies to the people who ordered the hit, or as Billy-Ray had put it: 'I've worked for some real distrustful folks.'

I leaned over and got Billy-Ray's door for him and he smiled his thanks, but he frowned when he caught sight of the holster. "You already got a straight razor, little darlin'. That ain't good enough for you?"

"I've never got to shoot anyone, except with that shotgun, Billy-Ray. I kind of liked it." I leaned over and kissed him, and he brightened up instantly.

"You all should had said something, then. If shooting people makes you happy, well all right then." He turned on the radio, cheerful now that he was sure of himself again. I had no idea what Tanith had done to him when they were a couple, but she had left the man a nervous wreck with women.

He still didn't expect compliments, and I'd see him gazing worriedly at my belly. He did now and I sighed before speaking. "The babies will be safe, Billy-Ray. Dusty got me a protective vest, see?"

I lifted my shirt and he saw the magical vest that covered me. No bullets, blows or any magical attacks would be able to hurt my babies. Billy-Ray nodded and tried to look cheerful but I knew the real reason he'd been staring. He still didn't trust me to want his children.

"What if they look like me, Little darlin', what then?" He asked abruptly.

"Then we'll have handsome children. You, well, if you're worried about the eyes you once told me you pulled them out yourself. If our children do inherit the trait they should have your superior vision as well. There is nothing wrong with the way you look, Billy-Ray, and I don't know who told you there is, but I can guess."

His mouth twitched. He tried to smile again and failed. "Yeah, I reckon you can. What's wrong with me as a man, little darlin'? You all can be honest, I can take it."

I stroked his blond hair, and leaned over and kissed him again. "There is NOTHING wrong with you, Billy-Ray. You just have bad taste in women. Present company excluded of course."

He laughed then turned back to the road, his usual cheerful self. I was suddenly grateful for the gun. If Billy-Ray was upset and distracted he'd be vulnerable to attack. William Raymond Sanguine was not the unstoppable force he always liked to think he was when he was distracted, though he'd never admit it. I knew I'd have to watch over him, even though in theory he would be watching over me my first time out. This was going to be some interesting hit indeed.

* * *

I had fallen asleep, my head on Billy-Ray's shoulder when I felt him shake me gently. We'd stopped a good distance away, but I could make out a lone house in the distance. Ranch-style, it was dark and seemingly silent in the night. "Hey, little darlin'. We're here. You fell asleep after we stopped for dinner, and I didn't have the heart to wake you all. Now you can just wait here if you like, and I'll be back directly."

"What? No, I'm coming with you, Billy-Ray." He nodded and got out, insisting I wait for him. He came around and helped me out and we walked a short distance from the truck. He pocketed his sunglasses and looked at me, he looked like he was in pain.

"Billy-Ray, what's wrong? My God, it's the scar I gave you, isn't it?"

He shook his head no. "I got that healed up by that Nye fellah. Right ugly critter but he knows his stuff." He managed.

"You wish it were Tanith going with you, don't you? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Billy-Ray, but I'll never be her."

"No! It's you I want. It's just that this is dangerous and I don't want to loose you!" He grabbed me, kissing me feverishly, seemingly desperate to prove his adoration. I wanted to be mean. I wanted to push him away, to make him suffer for ever having loved her, but then I felt his tears hit my face, and I realized he was crying as he kissed me. "I don't want to loose you, little darlin'! Not you, not the babies. I know I asked you here, but-" He was kissing me again, and this time I obliged him, he needed to be shown I loved him every bit as much as he loved me. There would be time to be vindictive over old lovers later.

He at last released me, and looked down at me, profound love written on his handsome features. "My little Irish hellcat, ready then? If you could do that new thing you do where you move quiet like, you reckon it would cover up the sounds of our approach?" I nodded and he grabbed me, sinking straight into the ground.

He must have been healed, because our travel was swift, and thanks to a new ability I didn't understand, silent. All I had to do was want to be quiet and I made no sound, even when using magic or moving like we did now. I hadn't thought it was much of a talent, but Billy-Ray grinned at me as we traveled, pleased.

We surfaced and I realized the targets had expected us. The room was suddenly brightly lit, and although Billy-Ray wasn't affected I was. I blinked, letting one of the two men get a drop on me. He hit me with a burst of magic before I could react, tossing me backwards like a rag doll.

Then he was standing on my neck, and I was trying to hit him with my own magic to no avail. I reached down and drew my gun, but he swiped his hand through the air and the air knocked it from my grasp.

I looked over at Billy-Ray as I fumbled desperately for my straight razor in time to see him take the man he was fighting out with one savage swing of his own straight razor, then turn to the man who was crushing me beneath his boot. Billy-Ray snarled, tackling the man and driving him to the ground. He grasped the man's head and pushed down, using his tunneling power to open the floor, then he withdrew his hand quickly, leaving the man's head cased in solid cement.

Thee body convulsed several times, then fell silent. Billy-Ray's face was a mask of rage, and he roared obscenities and he kicked the dead body in frustration. He seemed to get a hold of himself, and looked over at me, suddenly cheerful again. "Well, live and learn, little darlin'. At least you've got good instincts for killin'. Wasn't your fault your magic is going all goofy on you. But that's why I told you to go for a razor. No harm done though, I'm sure you'd of had him dead to rights if I hadn't taken him out."

Billy-Ray helped me up. "I'll go back and get the truck if you like and pull it back up here. I'll need to get the bodies in, but I'm gonna do that myself and you're gonna let me. No heavy liftin' for you right now." He rubbed his hand affectionately om my stomach. He kissed me gently, taking a tender hand to my bruised neck, and I felt a slight tingling sensation, then the pain disappeared.

Billy-Ray pulled back to grin at me. "I can do other things aside from tunnelin', but they don't usually work when I want them to. I tried- I tried to help when you were Surgin' and it wouldn't work." He sounded heartbroken and I held him tightly.

"Take me back with you, Billy-Ray. I have no idea why you think I want so much time away from you when I don't."

"You seemed riled up about somethin' before."

"I was, but not now." I kissed him, and he looped his arms around my waist, before sinking into the ground.

* * *

Billy-Ray was as good as his word, loading the bodies himself then securing the tarp above them. With any luck the police wouldn't stop us, though we'd have a much better chance of escape than most criminals. Knowing I was one now made me sigh. Billy-Ray seemed inclined to misinterpret my mood. "If you're still upset on account of Tanith, then don't be. She burned me good, but I burned her better, and she ain't never comin' back." He giggled over this, sounding a tad crazy.

"Burned her how?"

"She decided to sleep with a fellah she used to go with on our weddin' night instead of me. I caught 'em at it too. A real shame what the open alcohol they had been imbibin' and lit candles can do to a body, a real shame."

I looked at him for a minute then burst out laughing. "You are mean for the fun of it, but that's why I fell in love with you. But how did you get two people at once like that without them getting away?"

He drew out his straight razor. "Ever hold of hobblin' little darlin'? People don't tend to run too far if you can sneak up on 'em like when they are passed out drunk and cut the tendons. The don't run fast at all after that." He giggled again, then turned on the radio.

Willie Nelson came on strong singing 'On the Road Again'. Billy-Ray grinned at me, because indeed we were.

* * *

**My Billy-Ray has his own distinct way of speaking, which seems to get stranger as time goes on. He also got an upgrade with random powers that come and go. I was told how unkind Tanith was to him and other people in general in her own book, and figured my favourite Texan could be due some revenge, though the event he describes doesn't happen in the novel.**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray or Valkyrie. Val is still 27, story is still in her POV. This chapter was heavily influenced by "You got It' by Roy Orbison, one of the finest sons Texas ever produced. The song is pretty much how Billy-Ray feels towards Valkyrie. Thanks to **SP** for the review!

* * *

Billy-Ray Sanguine was a hitman. He loved to torture people, he had a cruel streak a mile wide. He was mean for the fun of it, and as Dusty once put it: "About as friendly as a rattlesnake with mouth rot." He lived to shed blood and cause harm. Now however, he looked rather pale.

I tensed up as another wave of pain hit me, gritting my teeth and trying not to curse. He'd managed to fish some old leaves out of an inner pocket, and they helped a little, but they did nothing for the terrible pressure and the feeling that I was going to be split right open.

Billy-Ray had torn off his tie and suit jacket and was doing the best he could to make me comfortable. Mopping my sweaty face with the tie, putting his jacket behind me as a pillow so the rock my head was resting on wouldn't burn me in the blazing Texas sun.

I realized he was near tears. "What are you, upset about now?" I growled.

"This is all my fault little darlin'. I could've sworn I had my cell phone, and I KNOW I filled the truck up just yesterday." I hissed as another wave of pain hit me, and he looked like I'd hit him.

Billy-Ray hadn't even known enough to get my trousers off, and I'd had to take off my duster and put it over my exposed legs when he started freaking out, realizing, I think, for the first time where babies came out. I wondered exactly how stupid he could be and felt like punching him.

I let out a small cry and knew the babies were coming now. Luckily my water had broke at home in the shower of all places, because there was going to be blood, lots of it. I howled and pushed as the doctor had instructed me, gripping Billy-Ray's hand so tightly I swore it was going to break, and right then that is exactly what I wanted to happen. How dare he put me in this much pain and not share some of it?

Billy-Ray gave a yelp and I tightened my grip as I felt the first baby start to emerge. "Get down there and catch the baby, at the very least, Billy-Ray!" I growled releasing my grip, and he hurried to do as he was told. He whipped off his sunglasses staring in horror as he drew back my duster, exposing my legs.

"I didn't know there'd be so much blood." He said faintly. His head tiled back slightly, then he crashed to the ground, senseless. I sighed and managed on my own as women had for millenia. I had the babies delivered, washed up and the umbilical cords cut by the time he came around.

My magic was back at full strength, and I easily cleaned up all traces of the birth, burning what was left in a small fire I started. Billy-Ray seemed to blink as he came to, though it was hard to tell and seemed to be surprised to see me fully dressed again. Luckily I'd found some more leaves in his jacket so I felt OK, though not great.

He looked at me, clearly bewildered. "What happened? We we attacked, little darlin'?"

"Yeah, by babies." I snorted. "You passed out at the sight of blood, Billy-Ray. Some hitman deluxe you turned out to be."

He blushed then looked at me. "Babies! Where are they, are they all right? Where?"

"Calm down. I bundled them both in some old blankets we had. Come see your children, Billy-Ray." I'd moved out of the sun into the small natural cave we had broken down by, barely big enough for me and the babies.

Billy-Ray managed to find his sunglasses and put them on before he approached. I realized he didn't want to scare the babies and shook my head. "They're our children, Billy-Ray. You let them see their father and how handsome a man he is."

He smiled faintly and pocketed his sunglasses after a brief hesitation. He knelt down, gently lifting back the blankets to see the twins. He saw the girl first. She was healthy, of good weight and had blue eyes and blond hair, so I assumed Billy-Ray had had blue eyes at one time. She'd be a beautiful woman when she grew up, you could tell, and that just wasn't her mother talking either.

"She looks a lot like you, little darlin'. Of course she got my hair and eyes. Well, back when I had eyes they looked like that. Leastwise I think they did."

He smiled at her, then looked at me. "Got any names yet?"

"I want Billy-Ray for our son. Roy for his middle name as in Orbison, and I insist. He needs to carry the name of two strong men that did just fine with different vision. You can name her if you like."

"How about Dallas? She looks like a cowgirl if anyone ever did. Not that her mama does half bad herself."

"Fine by me." He nodded happily and got up to kiss me before turning to our son. He looked at me hesitating.

"How bad?" He asked. I had my gun out and pointed at him before he finished.

"What did you just say about my son? That's my boy you're talking about, Billy-Ray," I growled, cocking the hammer back. Billy-Ray paled. We'd been told that since my Surge took place during my pregnancy the babies would resemble us. Billy-ray looked horrified at the idea of his son looking like him, but he managed a faint nod before pulling back the blanket he was nestled in.

All the colour went out of Billy-Ray's face instantly. "My son, my poor son. I'm so sorry son, I'm so sorry." He was gently caressing his son's face, tears streaming from his hollow eye sockets and my heart melted. I went and knelt by them holstering my gun.

"Billy-ray, hush. Don't you know by now how handsome you are, and how handsome our son will be? He's so very lucky to look like his daddy. You're a handsome man, Billy-Ray Sanguine, and I'm proud to be married to you."

I kissed him then, feeling his lips tremble slightly as they met mine, but then he had his arms around me and was lifting me into a searing kiss. I doubled my affections then pulled away laughing. "Oh no, you don't. One of us is getting an operation before we're together again. One time of this was enough."

Billy-Ray blushed and ducked his head. We got the babies bundled up and started the long walk home each of us carrying precious cargo.

* * *

Dusty had cursed Billy-Ray for forgetting his mobile, then cursed Billy-Ray again for forgetting to fill the tank. Billy-Ray frowned and dug in a pocket of the brown suit jacket he always wore. "I know I just filled it last night, see? Here's the receipt." He handed it over and Dusty frowned.

Dusty straightened and told us he'd be back directly. I heard the familiar sound of him taking a shotgun from the gun rack before he left and sighed. "I guess you did fill the tank, Billy-Ray, sorry I yelled at you."

He bundled me into a hug, being as gentle as possible. Dusty had put me to bed under protest, and now how tired I was from the birth was catching up to me. I hadn't dared sleep when he was passed out cold, but now even as he got in beside me I could feel myself drifting into sleep.

* * *

Hours later Dusty was back, not saying where'd he'd been, but he was whistling happily as he came in with a steak dinner and coffee for me, I had protested I could walk just fine, but he kept me in bed, hovering like a mother hawk at times. I knew he'd had a son of his own once, rasing him after the mother had died in childbirth, but had tragically lost him at a young age. It made him protective of both me and the babies that he was already doting on.

He took over all the unpleasant chores, grumbling that Billy-Ray would likely faint over that job as well. I couldn't nurse because my milk was too weak, but Dusty had everything prepared and was feeding babies like clockwork. Poor Billy-Ray was still fast asleep as I sat up for my dinner.

Dusty shook his head. "He'll be out a good twenty four hours at least. The doctors told us we could loose you if he didn't have you in the hospital from blood loss. That's why he fainted, by the way. He's seen plenty of blood in his time. He thought you all were dyin' on him."

Dusty looked at billy-Ray fatherly affection written on his creased features. Although Dreylan Scarab was Billy-Ray's real father, and the two had spent time together, Dusty never mentioned it. I knew it broke the older Adept and outlaw's heart to think the man he loved as a son didn't need him anymore.

Dusty looked at me again. "Somebody got into that gas tank and put a small hole in it for you. Nothing you'd have noticed, of course. You were leaking fuel something awful when you stopped. I know who done it, and he ain't gonna bother us none no more. Leastwises not without a head, he ain't. Let's just say Billy-Ray's accumulated some dangerous enemies, but that's one less you have to worry about."

I smiled my thanks at him and he grinned, all too happy to have protected his family.

* * *

**Billy-Ray absolutely melts my heart, at least mine does. He can by shy and gentle with Valkyrie, much like Roy Orbison was in real life. Roy by the way, was born fair-haired and wore dark sunglasses so in the right suit he'd have be a black-clad double for Billy-Ray.**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray, Darquesse, Dusk or Valkyrie. Dallas, Dusty, and Billy-Ray Jr. are my OCs though. Val is 50 here, story is still in her point of view. "Are You Ready For Some Football?" sung by Hank Williams Jr. was THE theme music for Monday night football, and a song just about any American would know as a song to get them riled up and ready to fight.

* * *

I woke up with a pounding headache. I felt like every bone in my body had been broken twice, but I knew the beating I'd been given had only left surface bruising, though my ribs hurt and it hurt to breathe. Ever since I'd had the kids there was no way to call on Darquesse. I knew then I was going to die there, paying for the general kind of stupidity Billy-Ray had usually displayed.

Billy-Ray had been gone for weeks with no contact, when a mysterious caller had rang the house one night and asked me to come out alone I had. I hadn't even thought of how they had my private number that only Dusty, the kids, and Billy-Ray had.

Now it occurred to me that I should have. I lifted my heard to glare bitter defiance at the Necromancer who had captured me. His three men were defying the Texas heat in their stupid black robes outside, standing guard. About the only thing I liked about this man was that he'd only thought to beat me. It turned out he had no idea where my husband was, and that made my insides burn with anger. Because he had found my husband's mobile, though where he wouldn't say. I knew if Billy-Ray had been separated from that mobile the news wasn't good.

I just hoped we had raised the kids well enough that they'd do fine on their own. I sighed and the Necromancer laughed. He seemed about to say something when a blood-curdling rebel yell that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up echoed through the canyon outside the cave I was being held in. It was followed by a chilling scream and I grinned. The Calvary was here. The men outside were frantic, trying to sight where the screams had come from. They had guessed a high ridge, but in the canyons they kids could have been on the ground as well.

One of the men dropped, then another. The sole one left looked at his fallen comrades in horror. They'd been taken out with a bullet to the brain, clean kills, both of them, and I was grateful to Dusty for coming with the kids. The remaining Necromancer had run into the cave for protection when the floor of the cave exploded directly behind him and he was drug underground screaming. I grinned at the ringleader. "Hope you were planning on dying today, because that is what's about to happen."

He snarled, starting to mass his shadows in his hand when multiple shots rang out. Dallas stepped into the cave grinning, emptying both guns into the bad man. She laughed as he slumped to the ground, spun her guns in her hands and holstered them smartly. She ran over to me then, tears in her beautiful blue eyes. "Mama! Did that bad man hurt you?" She asked, glomming onto me. I laughed softly despite my pain. My daughter was a professional killer like her daddy and myself, but she was still her mama's little girl.

Thought there was nothing little about her. Tall and curvaceous she always wore an immaculate white cowgirl outfit of some sort, complete with a white cowboy hat and boots. This one looked new, maybe white dyed buckskin. She caught my glance and stepped back, twirling for me to admire.

"Dusty got it for me, mama. Isn't he the best?" I grinned and nodded. I knew my daughter was sweet on the older outlaw, and I knew he felt the same way for her. He just knew if he ever hurt her I'd be making heuvos rancheros with a different type of huevos.

"That he is." I agreed and the ground erupted and Billy-Ray Jr. emerged. He was a carbon copy of his father to the point where Dallas and I had both gasped hopefully. He looked at us and sighed. "Wrong Billy-Ray." He said and shrugged, setting to work on my bonds with his straight razor.

I hugged him tight when I was free. "No, son, the right one. We'll get your daddy back, you know that. Thanks to both of you for coming to get your mom. Thought you were too big and fancy free to need me anymore." I teased gently.

Jr. blushed. He and his sister adored Billy-Ray and myself. They were, for example, the only sorcerors I'd ever heard of who took their own names again as Taken Names, only adding a name on the end and it worked. Dallas for example was Dallas Texas Lone Star, a name people outside the great state of Texas laughed at only once and Jr. Had chosen Billy-Ray Sanguine Sanguine. This let him keep his father's monogram, and he was relentlessly cheerful and often covered in blood, so it fit on both counts.

Jr. helped me away from the rock formation I'd been tied to, and Dusty stepped into the cave. He got me out of the cuffs instantly, frowning at me. "Ever think of lettin' the rest of your family know where you were goin'? You're lucky I'm still the best tracker there is."

"Speaking of tracking, that nasty man over there claimed to have just found Billy-Ray's cell phone. Can you get anything off of it?" Dusty shrugged and Dallas was already ferreting through the man's robe and came up with the mobile.

Dusty took it, we all knew it was Billy-Ray's. He concentrated, but then shook his head. "Sorry, nothin'. You all know I'd let you know if it was bad, but I'm gettin' nothin'. It's like he just up and vanished the day he left the house. Sorry."

* * *

Dinner that night had been solemn, nobody felt like eating much to be honest. I spent some time on the porch after with Dusty. He'd brought out two bottles of Goya's ginger beer, and we sipped them slowly. Although in theory he worked for the family, he was family and he ran the house with an iron fist where alcohol was concerned. Nobody drank anyhow, but the rule was firm. I didn't mind so long as he kept the Goya coming. "I just can't get a trace of him, little lady. It is like he just plain up and vanished and you know I don't cotton to such notions. I told him somethin' seemed bad about a hit he had to take on himself."

"Maybe this is all my fault, Dusty. We fought before he left, bad. He threatened to not come back. I- I didn't tell the kids, but he left his wedding ring behind. He said it was over, that he'd had enough of me. I just wish he'd contact the kids." I was trying hard not to cry. Billy-Ray and I loved one another deeply, but Lord knows we could fight. He'd never been unfaithful, ever, but 23 years was a long time for a man like him to look at the same woman. He'd gone off on private hits before and I'd always been uneasy, wondering if they were hits or he had a woman, even another family somewhere.

Maybe he was with them, even now. I looked over at Dusty. "He abandoned that cell phone on purpose, didn't he?" Dusty nodded and we both sighed. Either Billy-Ray had left for good and covered up his tracks so well even Dusty couldn't find him, or he was gone, vanished into thin air. I made my way to my room at last, well our room, but it hadn't seemed that way in a long time. Billy-Ray had been angry about something for weeks before he left, and try as I might I hadn't found out what. Now I figured I never would.

There was a soft knock and I murmured a reply. Jr. walked in and I could tell he'd been crying. He came and sat on the edge of the bed. "This is all my fault, isn't it?" He asked, before breaking down into heartbroken sobs. I held him, soothing him, rubbing his back like I used to when I he was a child.

"No, baby. Don't you ever think that, ever. Your daddy loves you, your his son, our son. I'll admit he's never said anything positive out loud but you know your father isn't much good with the English language."

Jr. laughed into my shoulder. "I reckon I picked up his English-manglin' ways, mama. But he's my daddy! All I ever wanted after I told you both was for him to say he loved me for who I am. I know this is all my fault, he's ashamed of me." I hugged my son fiercely, then pushed him away so I could remove his sunglasses. He had his father's hollow eye sockets and now I could see the pain in them. After he had come out Billy-Ray had said nothing, though he had given his son an awkward pat on the shoulder.

I had known of course, I think mothers always do. I think Billy-Ray had know as well in his own way. "He loves you son, he does. He just doesn't know what to do, right now. I know exactly what to do. I don't care that you are twenty three. You are expected to start bringing any young men home so your father and I can put the fear of God into them, the same as we do for Dallas."

Jr. laughed then relaxed and I told him what I thought the real reason was for his father not returning. Jr. didn't judge me, he just cuddled in to be held. Dallas came in as well and I didn't say a word of protest when both of them invited themselves to camp out with me in the bedroom.

We watched TV until we we fell asleep, and in the morning I knew what I had to do. My babies needed their daddy, and bad. I went out at dawn and saddled up, thanking the sleepy ranch hand who helped me, and I rode out towards the canyons.

* * *

I found the cave. I hadn't been there in years, but the spent red candle in the glass jar was still there, as well as dried flowers. I took out a fresh candle, this one red as well and lit it. I'd never been religious, but this gave me comfort, because as criminals we had nowhere else to turn but a nonjudgemental saint.

I put out the fruit and flowers I'd gathered from the house, and spoke out loud, the prayer on the candle just never seeming to say what I wanted to. "You know you've been like a mom to me, though I admit I haven't shown up much. But I've asked you before to please bring him back, and you always have. I don't know why he left, or where he is, but please send him home, if not for me then for the kids. They're good kids, they came to rescue me, they rescued their daddy. If you want to punish anyone, punish me. I'll go away if that's what it takes, but please, bring him home to us. Please."

I wept then, letting out all the grief I'd been bottling up inside. I hated letting anyone see my cry. I considered it a weakness in myself, something I'd always fought against to prove how tough I was. "I swear to you, you bring him home and we will put a life-sized statue of you out in front of the ranch house. You won't be kept way out here any more. I swear that to you." I got control of myself at last and left the cave, hoping some good would come out of the altar and candle.

* * *

I arrived home to see the ranch in an uproar, Dusty ran out to meet me. "Billy-Ray just called, he's all right, it's a long story, but he's comin' home. He'll be here by midnight at the latest." I hugged him tight, thanking Santa Muerte fervently, and swearing she'd have my promise fulfilled.

I explained to Dusty exactly what I'd promised and he laughed and grinned. "There's a statue store a ways from here, we got time to get there and back afore Billy-Ray gets home. We better get on the road then, so I'll rustle us up some coffee. Good for you, if she did that for you that quick, she's chosen you."

"Did what?" I asked as I followed Dusty inside, and from what I gathered Billy-Ray had been captured, but his captor had just died suddenly, leaving Billy-Ray free to make his escape. I realized from the time it was taking him to get home he wasn't in America.

"Ireland." Dusty admitted as he put the thermos of coffee and some food in a small hamper. "You're wanted there. We both agreed it was too dangerous for you to go back. Billy-Ray staged the fight with you. We wanted you and the kids safe."

I hugged him tightly. "When were you going to tell me this?"

Dusty pulled back with a grin. "When we knew Billy-Ray was on his way home safe. I'm sorry we had to put you and the kids through that, but he was goin' over to put a hit on this fellah called Dusk and he didn't want you or the kids anywhere near it. Seems that he got himself captured after the hit, then that fellah that had him fell over obligingly."

I sighed in relief. Dallas and Jr came in before we could leave, both hugging me and Dusty tightly. I saw Dallas blush slightly when she realized she'd hugged Dusty in front of me and laughed. "Good Lord, you both know that I know. Dusty and I need to go keep a promise, can you kids hold down the fort?"

They both nodded, and Dusty and I were soon on the road. Dusty seemed nervous so I smiled over at him. "I approve, Dusty. I know you'd never hurt her and I know you're both more serious than you'll admit. Of course if you two get married I want it to be at the ranch."

Dusty smiled at me. "We were hopin' you'd approve. But I am older, little lady. That don't bother you none?"

I shrugged. "Billy-Ray's older than me, and Lord knows everyone thought I'd marry my partner and he was over four hundred, so no, I don't mind. You're a good man, Dusty, I couldn't have picked better for her." Dusty smiled his thanks. Soon enough we had arrived and were meandering through countless statues of various saints. We came to the Santa Muerte section. The skeletal saint was displayed in all sorts of robes, in dresses, as a queen.

"I kept petitioning her in red. So do you think the red robes so she will keep us together as a family and promote emotional stability or green to keep certain people away?" I asked Dusty, who shrugged.

"I'm thinking you owe her big time, so why not full-sized in red robes for the front of the house, and several other colors in a smaller size? You ought to be keepin' her close now. One for the kitchen of course, the bedroom. Heck, I'd like one myself and I KNOW they kids both work with her. It is about time we all start honoring her openly, don't you think?"

I nodded and the owner came over, greeting us in English, then changing to rapid-fire Spanish with Dusty. We soon had the bed of the truck laden with statues in every possibly color and guise, and a very happy man waved us off.

We started for home, content we could have our sweet protectress out in the open, Dusty and I amused since everyone on the ranch had a secret altar to her somewhere. She was a good girl after all, not a saint who needed hidden, and it wasn't exactly a secret that everyone on the ranch was a wanted criminal. We got home, and the kids were ecstatic, many of the ranch hands as well. Soon the statues populated the house and several buildings, and Santa Muerte kept watch in front of the ranch in her red robes, wings spread out protectively, awaiting the return of Billy-Ray.

* * *

**Santa Muerte is a wonderful nonjudgemental Mexican fold saint. She's often depicted as a skeleton in flowing robes. The color of the robe shows what help is wanted. Red for the return of a lover, emotional stability, and keeping a family together, for example.**

**She has a reputation as a narco or drug saint, but countless people petition her for protection, motherly love and guidance. She is a very good girl and watches over those the Church deems unfit and hellbound such as gays, criminals, ladies who ply their trade by night, and all other outcasts such as the poor and forgotten.**

**Huevos rancheros are eggs served on flat bread, usually with salsa and can be made countless ways. Huevos is also slang in Mexico for something Dusty would rather not loose, being a man. Think about it.**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, or Billy-Ray. Dusty, Jr. and Dallas are my OCs though. Val is still 50, story is still in her POV. "I Wanna Be Your Man" was a hit by Zapp and Roger. There's a play on words here, trust me.

* * *

Billy-Ray arrived home late that night, and I think I may have dislocated his back greeting him, but he didn't seem to mind as he pulled me into a searing kiss. " I missed you somethin' fierce, little darlin'." He kissed me again and I felt all the tension leave my body as I wrapped my arms around him. I pulled back slightly to removed his sunglasses and he gave me his usual cheerful grin.

Billy-Ray ruffled my hair softly, looking at me with pure adoration. ""Sorry to lie and hurt you like that little darlin'. I just couldn't risk losin' you." He pulled me to him tightly, and I could feel his tears of relief at being home. I kissed him again, then we parted. The man did have children to greet, after all. Billy-Ray turned to the kids, reluctantly letting me go. "I'm sorry I went off without you all, but your mama's wanted back in Ireland."

The kids rushed forwards then, hugging Billy-Ray tightly. Jr. was first, and his father embraced him tightly. "I missed you son, sure wish you all were with me over there. It sure is lonely, and cold." Jr. just hugged his dad tighter in response, then made way for Dallas. She hugged her father tightly as well and no words were needed between those two. They had a special connection, just and I had one with Jr.

Dusty was watching all of this quietly when Billy-Ray broke from Dallas to go hug him as well. That had never happened before, but the older outlaw returned the gesture. We had a late dinner, and if all the Santa Muerte statues surprised Billy-Ray he hadn't shown it.

He looked at a statue in rainbow-coloured robes and smiled. "La Huesuda showed up over there you know. I know it sounds crazy, little darlin' but I saw her right before that fellah who had me up and died on me. Said I'd had a whole ranch of people askin' for my safe return, invitin' her in and the like. I said it was fine by me. Of course, I got to keep my promise to her as well, mind you."

We all looked at him and he smiled. "Tomorrow I'll start lookin' around the ranch. She said we got a tattoo artist right here and he'd help me fulfill my promise. I reckon a tattoo of her isn't much payment for keepin' an eye on you all, but it was the best I could think of at the time."

It was a happy dinner, and Billy-Ray didn't even blink when Dusty and Dallas went off together after. Jr. excused himself, but Billy-Ray laid a hand on his arm. "Son, she also said you needed to know I'm here for you. I want you to start bringin' your young men home to meet us proper like. Your mama and I don't want you with any man who ain't gonna treat you right. Comprende?"

Jr. grinned broadly, hugged his father and left us together, we retired to the bedroom, both exhausted from a long day. I looked at Billy-Ray as we laid down, too tired to even undress. "I'm so glad you're home and thanks for taking care of us. So how big with your tattoo of La Flaca be?" I teased.

"Grande. My whole back is what I promised, and she sure is worth it, lookin' after you and the kids like she has. I- I used to ask her to look after you as well, little darlin', but what I can't reckon is how you got to know her. I ain't exactly been open about knowin' her, and I'm rightly ashamed of that."

I cuddled into him. "She kept showing up in my dreams, until a final one where she kept repeating "Lo siento." I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was until I saw a candle at the store. I'm the one who should be sorry. I kept turning her away because, well, people say she's the devil." I felt Billy-Ray stiffen. "Hush, I know that's not true now. I love her, she's been like a mother to me. I'd ask her to watch over you every time you went off alone. All the statuary is for all the times she brought you back home."

Billy-Ray drug me on top of him, kissing me happily. "Now you are certain, little darlin'? No drivin' her away because folks don't like her none?"

"I'm certain. She's a good girl, a beautiful lady. She brought you home safe and sound, she watches over us like a hawk. I can't see how she's happy about a bunch of physical things, but she is."

"She wants the love, little darlin'. And to be accepted." He yawned, barely keeping himself awake. He tried to murmur something else, but we were soon fast asleep.

* * *

Early the next morning after breakfast Billy-Ray indeed found a tattoo artist right on the ranch. He smiled when he heard what Billy-Ray wanted and why, taking off his own shirt and showing us a huge full-colour tattoo on his back with Santa Muerte written about her in flowing script. He promised to work on a sketch and had it by that afternoon. Billy-Ray agreed to the design, and soon the pair were off to Night Hawk's studio. We knew this was something Billy-Ray would have to do alone, but we also knew that being done by an Adept the tattoo would heal instantly.

Several hours later an elated Billy-Ray returned home. Night Hawk had tried to refuse payment, but as it was for Santa Muerte he gave in at last. Billy-Ray showed us the tattoo and it was beautiful. She had wings like the Santa Muerte outside, but she was active, striding, her robes billowing around her. She carried her scythe in an offensive position clearly ready to strike. The look on her face was one of pure fury, as if she was outraged anyone would dare touch someone under her protection.

Billy-Ray also insisted on a trip for everyone to a town several hours away where we could shop for jewelery, books, candles and everything else we could desire to our hearts content. Rusty drove, getting a van out of the barn we rarely used, and Dallas sat up front with him.

Billy-Ray was with me and Jr. it turned out hadn't been going far at all to see his young man. Night Hawk came with us, and I could see they were both relieved to be out in the open. I grinned at the both, warmly welcoming Night Hawk. He was broad and tall shouldered with inky black hair that shone like a raven's wing and hung past his shoulders. He had sharp features that showed his Native American ancestry, and he also showed his pride in his heritage with silver rings, necklaces, and a large belt buckle set with turquoise.

But none of that mattered to me, or anyone else in the van. What mattered was the way he treated Jr. and they clearly loved one another. Night Hawk told us legends from various First Nations people and the scenery blurred by, having devoured as much as possible on his own. "My uncle was what you'd call a story keeper if you were talking to tourists, but people in my family said he just talked too much. But he knew a lot of the legends from lots of people, not just Native Americans. He said pride in our ancestors was fine, but we couldn't let it make us bitter in the here and now."

I laughed. "Mu uncle said about the same thing. Said we couldn't go on hating people forever because of the Troubles. Said no good ever came of it, I think he would have liked your uncle. I had to leave him, well, his Echo behind when I left Ireland. I- Well, I didn't trust him not to turn me into my former partner."

The kids perked up. They knew vaguely that I had been on the side of the law once, but that I never talked about it. So I told them. About Skulduggery saving my life, about my former friends, about Uncle Gordon. About fighting and killing gods, about being taught magic. About how if I ever set foot in Ireland again I'd be arrested. Though, I explained dryly, Ireland did not have a death penalty in the Sanctuary. They just let you rot in a cell forever and go stir crazy.

Dallas turned around to look at me. "So you gave up all that, your partner, your friends, a big old mansion, even Ireland for daddy?" Her eyes shone with excitement at the idea.

"Of course I did, sweetie. Your daddy means the world to me, even if we didn't always see eye to eye about things." I gave Billy-Ray an amused glance and he blushed, drawing a giggle from Dallas.

The ride was enjoyable, but in the back of my mind I felt we needed whatever we could get our hands on in that town. You couldn't buy Santa Muerte's favour any more than you could control her. But there was something bothering me and that always meant trouble.

Or perhaps it was just talking about Skulduggery. I didn't even know if he was alive, or still dead as he would have put it. I had died inside myself giving him up to go with Billy-Ray. I'd never felt romantically towards him, but I missed him still. It hurt to know he would have come after me, along with Ghastly, assuming they were both still alive.

Billy-Ray squeezed my hand gently. "I saw him over there, and you know somethin', little darlin'? The man just up and let me go. Didn't even try to hold me there. We ran into each other accidental like, turns out he was after Dusk as well, only, of course, I ended up gettin' there first. Never did like any fellah who wanted revenge on you. Anyhow, Bones just up and let me go. I think he misses you."

"I miss him too, Billy-Ray. He raised me, more or less. You don't know how many times I worried about him or thought about him. Needless to say I asked Santa Muerte to watch over him after I learned about her and it made me feel better. I'll always miss him, he'll always be a friend to me. A friend who'd have no problem slapping cuffs on me, of course."

Billy-Ray snorted. "I suppose that's why he asked for me to take care of you. Seemed right pleased to learn you had young'uns and was married. Wished he'd been there for the weddin'. Now I ain't no fool. I didn't give him our whereabout or anythin' even though he looked all wistful like when he asked after you."

"Well if he ever shows up in Texas to arrest me, well have a lovely craic on the way back over." I teased. I refused to be sad. It had, after all been decades. Skulduggery most likely had a new partner and Lord only knows he could have been married as well. I'd always hoped he'd find someone to settle down with and be content, someone who, since he couldn't die himself, would be able to spend centuries with him.

I settled back into my seat, sending a brief prayer to Santa Muerte to always watch out for my former friends and to find someone special for Skulduggery. Somehow, I knew she heard me.

* * *

The town turned out to be the next best thing to Mexico. Shop after shop carried statues, jewelry, books, music, clothing and more. There was copal incense, dried flowers, statues in beautiful silk dresses and more. The was an enchanting statue of the skeletal lady in pink, her colour for love, and I debated, even as her sweet expression made my heart melt. Still, it was expensive, still, it was the prettiest silk dress. In the end I chose the statue, some jewelery, and special perfumes designed for her.

I knew she liked chocolate and flowers and was happy we'd brought a cooler, so we bought boxes of hand-crafted chocolates as well. Then we stopped for lunch, and walked around town one last time. Something was bothering me as we got in the van. Billy-Ray was oblivious, but then, he often was, as much as I loved him. Using my over-sided sunglasses as a handy mirror I spotted him. A man had been walking around town all day, looking like a typical tourist.

Only tourists tended not to wear suits and I cursed myself for not making the connection. I hustled the kids and Billy-Ray into the van, and Dusty made tracks. He looked into the rear-view mirror and swore.

"We're bein' followed. " He sped up and as we left the town I saw the battered black van that was following us, the tinted windscreen preventing me from making out more than the shape of the driver and passenger, but those were enough. Both were tall, though one was clearly bald and built like a boxer, and the other wore a fedora tilted rakishly over one eye. The man wearing the fedora waved cheerfully and I was all I could do not to wave in response.

Everyone was tense, silent as Dusty pushed our own van to its limits. The engine started to cough and sputter than died completely. I touched the Santa Muerte pendant I had just bought, knowing what I had to do, and do peacefully. "Stay in the van, all of you, and I mean it! This isn't turning into a bloodbath. I'll find a way to get back to you. Now stay!" I barked out the command and nobody dared object. The men had full authority to kill me and everyone in our van. My surrendering peacefully was the only way to save my family.

I got out and walked towards the van slowly, my hands raised in surrender, praying everyone would obey and just sit tight. I kept closing the distance, wondering why I wasn't being swarmed by Cleavers or shot at. I came up on the tinted passenger side window, feeling fairly stupid. Could I have made a mistake? Was I surrendering to bewildered civilians? The passenger side window rolled down and my heart dropped. The Skeleton Detective sat there in all his glory.

He doffed his fedora to me, grinning devilishly at me, his white skull blazing in the sun. We stared at each other for the longest time, neither one of us speaking. Skulduggery broke the silence at last. "Detective Cain."

"Detective Pleasant."

"We're wanted men. Don't suppose you care to put us up for the night?" His voice was hopeful.

"You're serious, aren't you? Oh for the love of- You do know both Sanctuaries most likely tailed you? God, you're thick."

Ghastly snorted. "Good to see you too, Val. So how about it? Take me and the idiot here in?"

I grinned. "Give us a jump and I will." Mysteriously our van started at that exact moment. I went back, explained or rare fortune and the battered black van followed us back to the ranch. Exactly what Skulduggery and Ghastly had done to be wanted men I had no idea, but I was sure we'd find out soon.

* * *

**La Huesuda is Spanish for The Bony Lady, an affectionate name used with Santa Muerte, so is La Flaca, The Skinny Lady. Comprende is either Spainsh or Spanglish for 'do you understand?' depending on who you ask, but most Americas would know what it means. Lo siento is of course I'm sorry. Grande is either Spanish or Spanglish for huge or rubbish Italian for the drink size under Venti.**

**Santa Muerte is also the patron of gays and transexuals, anyone and everyone rejected by society for whatever reason. My Santa Muerte has two altars, one right in the kitchen and if folks don't like her they can leave. ****Mine insists I be open about working with her and she has a profound dislike to the idea of being shut away or hidden from view. So this chapter is dedicated to my beloved Santa Muerte.**

**PS I don't own Skulduggery, Dusk, Cleavers or Ghastly either, but I wanted to hide a surprise for readers for once. ta-da!**

**PSS Spanglish is any word English speakers use thinking it is Spanish but isn't, or a well meant attempt to make a word Spanish, usually by putting o on the end, as in 'no problemo' which is the Spanglish version of the Spanish 'no problema'.**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Billy-Ray, Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith, the Dead Men, Serpine, Anton, or Erskine.

* * *

We weren't back to the ranch long when Ghastly took me quietly aside. We walked out to a sunny patio. Ghastly looked at me, seeming to be fighting conflicting emotions. "We all thought you were dead, Valkyrie. That that lunatic had killed you. You do know what he did to Tanith don't you? Do you have any idea what thinking he killed you did to her?" He asked and I nodded silently, then looked at him.

"But Tanith-" I began then stopped. There was no use reminding Ghastly that the man I loved had burned the woman he loved to death on their wedding night. I looked at him then in confusion. "She's alive? How did she come back?" I asked.

"What that monster did killed her, but it also killed the Remnant inside. We got to her in time, I'd been tracking them all that time, and we were able to revive and heal her. Frightening as well. He and I had a very interesting conversation about poaching another man's woman afterwards."

"I'm sorry I missed that conversation." I said looking at him in amusement. "But you know, the Remnant just saw Billy-Ray's usefulness as being over. It would have went back and killed him if it could. Still a cold thing to do to a man on his wedding night. Speaking of which, you missed a decent wedding." I said, smiling.

"So did you. We're married now, she agreed at last."

"Really? That's wonderful, I'm so happy for you!" I said drawing Ghastly into a tight hug. "Any children?" I asked and he sighed wistfully.

"No, we never seem to have the time. But you have two fine looking ones. Valkyrie, this may upset you, but Tanith is on her way as well. Before you say anything, well, she had to get rid of some people as well. They were after you, for being with Billy-Ray. For what you've done since then." He said with a sigh.

"You killed people? How many?" I asked.

"More than a few. You're one of my best friends and Skulduggery's partner. When we'd found out you were alive, that the warrants would at last go out for your arrest, we couldn't let that happen."

I sighed. "I just don't want to loose my husband, Ghastly." I said quietly. Because, generally speaking what Billy-Ray said he could turn around and disprove the next instant. I knew how much he'd been in love with Tanith, and I doubted he had ever stopped, even if the man had set her on fire.

Ghastly looked at me and sighed. "I don't want to loose my wife either, Valkyrie. She isn't interested in Billy-Ray."

"When has that ever stopped him?" I asked dully. Ghastly tried to comfort me and I nodded absently. Either I was about to find out I had the love of a good man, or I was about to loose him. We went back in the house and Billy-Ray instantly sensed my troubled mood. He took me to the stables, a frown etched on his handsome features.

"Somethin' eatin' at you, little darlin'?" He asked and I told him. Billy-Ray just stared at me for the longest time, then wrapped his arms around me and drew me into a kiss. I went willingly, surprised at his reaction. Billy-Ray pulled back to place tender kisses all over my face, murmuring words of adoration. "You're my wife, and don't you forget it, little darlin'. I'm right glad she is with that Ghastly fellah, though I can't say as I think much of her taste in men. You however, have excellent taste." I laughed as he cuddled me into him.

"It's that Texan accent that does it, Billy-Ray. And that incredible smile, and that tender gaze," I paused to remove his sunglasses, "and those heavenly lips," another pause to kiss him, "and everything else about you. Rowr." I teased and he blushed slightly.

"You know you can trust me, Val, don't you? I ain't gonna let nothin' distract me from my little Irish hellcat. She's too good a woman to let go of." He was going to kiss me again when we heard someone clear their throat and I turned to see Skulduggery watching us, his arms folded. I expected a smart remark, but he only nodded civilly as Billy-Ray passed him with a small salute.

Skulduggery sighed and looked down then at me. "Ghastly already told you that we are wanted, so is Erskine, and maybe he is coming here, eventually, not sure, and maybe one or two of the Dead Men. " His shoulders were tight like he expected me to yell but I laughed instead.

"Tell me this wasn't all about me." I asked and he wouldn't look at me when he answered.

"You fought at our side in the Sanctuary war, we all love you in a misguided brotherly way. If all else fails Anton has agreed to take us all in. He misses you, we all do." I went and grabbed him in a tight hug in response, hoping he hadn't led both Sanctuaries to our front door.

* * *

The children were taken with Skulduggery and Ghastly and very attentive to them as they told tales that sounded like something out of a good spy novel or assassination thriller. The Irish Sanctuary had changed for the worse. When I had left Skulduggery, thinking I'd been killed, had lost the heart to go on there and took cases quietly on the side, sometimes partnering with Ghastly who also left, and Tanith.

Erskine, too bored and not liking the way the winds were blowing had stepped down as well, never thinking that it would leave the position of Grand Mage open to the wrong type of man. But he'd done it to save himself as well since not having Darquesse there to protect them had left all my friends vulnerable.

"So, that's where everything stands." Ghastly finished at last and Dallas looked at the two men in awe.

"You all did that to protect my mama? And she's a war hero? Mama, how come you never said anything?" She asked, turning to me in delight.

"I didn't know how you two would take knowing I'd fought the American Sanctuary." I pointed out, but she was squealing happily over the idea. I'd forgotten that American or not, my daughter was still my little girl and she adored me.

Dusty whistled in appreciation. "So it is true, you were Darquesse. How come you can't change now iffen you don't mind me askin'?"

"After the kids, nothing, though it might have been the Surge that did it. I'll always be Darquesse, Dusty, maybe I've just learned to control myself a little better."

Jr. looked at me, utterly heartbroken, but I shook my head. "Trust me son, that is a good thing. Nobody wants Darquesse at full power deciding that half the planet is a threat to her family. He nodded thoughtfully and I went over to sit on the couch with him. "I mean that. I don't even know if I'd be any good as Darquesse anyhow, I chose Elemental. I doubt I'd have my Necromancer powers back even if I did have my ring." I looked over at Skulduggery. "I left it behind, so you'd know I chose to come here." He nodded and pulled the ring out of his pocket.

I went and looked at it. Shiny black and forged in the shadow furnaces it would contain all of a Necromancer's magic. Of course if a non-Necromancer tried it on without permission it would kill them. I had no idea what it could do to someone after they Surged and settled on Elemental. I touched the ring, longing to wear it. Skulduggery stopped me. "Valkyrie, it could kill you for all we know."

I nodded. "Or give us the edge we need. You wouldn't have brought it if you didn't think it would help." I said and slipped the ring on. Immediately I felt a surge of power and I extended my hand, massing shadows to me. I grinned in delight, feeling an old part of me I though had died stirring.

The feeling only grew as I felt my power build, my shadows massing around me and I felt whole for the first time in a long time. I gave a delighted laugh, rising off the floor ever so slightly then touching down again. I could fly again as well. "Thank you, Skulduggery." I said and he nodded warily. I sighed.

"It's still me, I wasn't kidding when I told all of you I'd learned to control myself. I just never thought I'd be back to full strength ever again. I'm not about to go on a mindless rampage, so you can all relax. Here it would draw too much attention. Somehow in Ireland it was easier to sweep bodies under the rug, but I suppose that is what Sanctuaries are for." I grinned.

"They'll want you back now, of course." Skulduggery said. "Once they figure out you're fully Darquesse once more. But I'm begging you to fight instead. I have a rather intense dislike for the current Grand Mage. Wish he had stayed dead." He finished with a growl.

"Who?" I asked, even though I had a good idea of who it was.

"Serpine." Skulduggery spat out the word with distaste. We both had reason to hate the man, he'd killed both our families. First Skulduggery's then my beloved uncle. The man was a sadistic psychopath that made Billy-Ray look normal and the first thing I wanted to do was shadow-walk to Ireland and send him back to Hell where he belonged.

"Valkyrie, don't!" Ghastly pleaded as my shadows started to mass. "Please, he has traps in place for you, even as Darquesse. He wants you to bring back the Faceless Ones among other things."

"What other things?" I asked, letting my shadows die away.

"He's been keeping tabs on you all along." Skulduggery said. "Not telling anyone you were alive after he became Grand Mage. He wants to- He wants to breed you with the Faceless Ones. It's been done before." I gagged slightly and Billy-Ray looked ready to gut someone.

Something occurred to me then, Skulduggery managing to escape was a little too tidy. "You escaped during a battle with Serpine, yes?" Skulduggery nodded. "And mysteriously you made it all the way here, you two, and Tanith is on her way, of course. I hate to tell you Skulduggery, but he let you go, he staged the battle with you."

"Now why would he go and do a thing like that, bein' the man who wants the Faceless Ones to return and all?" Billy-Ray asked.

"Because he figured that one of several things could happen. I could shadow-walk into a trap, which Ghastly stopped, but sadly, that is also part of Serpine's plan. He knew Ghastly would stop me. So is Tanith being on the way, and you reassuring me of your loyalty, Billy-Ray. You're all part of his plan."

"How?" Asked Ghastly.

"Serpine wants me to see what I have, and as Darquesse, to see what I could have, namely him. I'm sure he knew Skulduggery had my ring, he used Skulduggery to get it to me. He's showing me that the story of mating me to a Faceless One is a ruse. He's chosen himself as my mate. And he used you all to show me he's still quite the general. I was meant to figure out his plan. I was also meant to compare his staggering level of power to Billy-Ray. Oh, I _like _him." I purred, and Billy-Ray went ash white.

"Not in that way, sweetheart. His plan will make it all the more enjoyable when I do swat him off the face of the Earth. But the good news is he's so devious he won't have the American Sanctuary involved or most of the Irish Sanctuary. How did he get to be Grand Mage anyhow?" I asked.

"He said he was reformed, painted me and Ghastly among others to be the real villains and stupidly people believed him." Skulduggery sighed. I nodded. People tended to believe what they wanted to believe. People wanted a reformed Serpine so they saw one. Serpine wanted to see himself as irresistible to Darquesse and so he did.

I looked at everyone. "Serpine hopes my excitement over seeing such evil would have planted seeds of doubt in your minds, made you distrust me. He's hoping for a rift so that no matter what my actions I'm forced to him. The only thing I can't figure out is why he isn't simply using force."

Dusty answered. "It ever occur to you that Serpine may actually be in love with Darquesse? If he is trying to make himself irresistible to one of the strongest mages ever it makes sense he'd think she's the only gal worthy of him. You got yourself a suitor, little lady."

* * *

**Wheee! Cliff-hanger.**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray, Valkyrie, Ghastly or Tanith. I was listing to "The Surfing Dead" by The Cramps whilst writing and editing for those keeping track.

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I awoke later that night to the sound of crying. A heartbroken wail the chilled my blood. It was coming from beside me in the darkness. I put my arms around Billy-Ray from behind without a word and he stiffened. "Sweetheart, what is it? You know it is you I love. You want to know why I got excited? I can't wait to kill the man. He was Skulduggery's last time. I was too weak, but now he belongs to me."

Billy-Ray sniffed then answered. "You're just sayin' that to make me feel better." He said but there was a note of hope in his voice as he turned in my arms and held me to him. I snuggled into him, enjoying the warmth and security he offered.

"Billy-Ray, the man killed my uncle. I want him to suffer, for a very, very long time. Plus he'll be after you and the children. Nobody touches any of you, ever. You haven't run away and you're not afraid of me, I like that. Even Skulduggery is afraid of me." I said softly and Billy-Ray drew me into a lingering kiss. It was sweet and soft and incredibly gentle and it reassured me we'd be OK like nothing else would.

"Hey, little darlin' how about you an' me get up and make ourselves a little snack? If you will attend to some pasta and peanut sauce I think I can manage some thinly sliced steak to put on top." He offered and I nuzzled him happily in reply.

"Sounds perfect. You know I love you, right?" I asked and he rewarded me with another lingering kiss before we got up and dressed.

"I love you too, little darlin'. It's just that no woman ever stayed before. I keep expectin' to wake up and find you gone like all the rest." He said quietly. I went to him and drew him into a searing kiss.

"I'm staying, you can count on that. Cheer up, sweetheart. I may just cripple Serpine and let you finish him off." I said cheerfully and the grin he rewarded me with was priceless.

I was getting a pot out for the pasta when he shook his head. "No need for that, little darlin'. Just make the microwave kind and doctor 'em up like you do iffen you please." I nodded, happy to comply. One thing I loved about Billy-Ray was how laid back he was. Provided it was food he didn't worry if it came out of a box or took an hour to make. That and the man loved cooking steak, and beef tips and everything else our cattle provided.

I watched him cooking the steak, perfectly content to be in the kitchen with me. "You know, Billy-Ray, I mean what I said. I'm officially putting out a hit on Serpine and I want you and the kids to help me fill it." I said and Billy-Ray came over and lifted me off the ground in his excitement, laughing as he turned in circles, gazing up at me adoringly.

"I love you somethin' fierce little darlin'. Don't you ever forget that. Ever." He was bringing me back down for a kiss when we both froze. The distinctive sound of a motorcycle was coming closer. We exchanged a glance both fairly sure of who it was, but still wary.

Billy-Ray set me down gently. "I'll go." I said. "We need time for girl talk." He nodded, his expression clearly indicating he expected a fight and planned to stay out of it. I went outside and met Tanith just as she was getting off her bike. We stared at each other in silence for the longest time, then she broke into a happy grin and ran to me, pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

"Sis! We all thought you were dead. I've missed you so much." Tanith said and I could feel her tears mingling with my own.

"I've missed you too, you have no idea how much. So you became a criminal to protect me, did you?" I asked as we parted and we both laughed shakily.

"Yeah, hardened criminal, me. I heard you two had kids, I'm happy for you. I don't understand what you see in him, but I'm happy for you, little sis. I keep wanting them with Ghastly but we never seem to have the time." She said, looping an arm around me as we walked back towards the house.

"You have to make the time. It scared me half to death when I found out I was pregnant, but we both wanted children and we both needed them to settle our roots here. Ghastly went to bed a while ago, but he'll be happy to see you. Guest bedroom down the hall and to the right." I said as we entered the side door. Tanith nodded and took off, and from her grin she no doubt planned on scaring the poor man half to death.

I returned to the kitchen to find Billy-Ray had plated up our meal, the steak cut into strips he had artistically arranged on top of each bed of noodles. I flashed him a grateful smile. "Thanks, sweetheart. I don't know what I'd do without you." I said and Billy-Ray grinned at me, clearly pleased with himself. I was happy to see he'd also removed his sunglasses. It meant he felt relaxed and pleased with himself.

We were tucking into our meal When Tanith and Ghastly arrived in the kitchen. Ghastly busied himself with putting on hot water for coffee and tea and Tanith and Billy-Ray just stared at one another. "It was impossible to get lost. Your dogs saw me in." She said at last in an attempt to be friendly.

"We don't have dogs." Billy-Ray and I said at once and we were both rising, Billy-Ray slipping back on his glasses.

"How big?" He asked and when Tanith said bigger than her bike we both paled. Those weren't coyotes or even wolves. Not normal ones at any rate. "You go get Dusty, check on the kids." He told me and I nodded but Dusty was already coming in the kitchen loaded down with shotguns and silver knives.

"Ain't no need. Dallas is here. Night Hawk and Jr. are missing, Hope they are all right." Dusty said, setting the weapons down on the table. He handed me a shotgun and knife, and we made sure the knives were visible on the outside of our dusters. I pumped my shotgun and Tanith stared at me. "I want to come." She said and I nodded.

"Ghastly, we need you here with Dallas and Billy-Ray. They know what to do if we don't return." I said and he nodded tightly.

"We're going to kill dogs?" Tanith asked, clearly confused.

"Werewolves, or weresomethings." I said. "And this is just to scare the mangy poachers away from our cattle. There are no wolves or coyotes that big. Living on a ranch you get all sorts of weirdos, last month we were putting buckshot into cultists." I said with a grim smile.

And it was true. We were isolated and it seemed that cattle attracted crazies. You had cultists, people trying to act our twisted fantasies and the occasional nutter who thought he or she was a chupacabra. Tanith and I followed as Dusty took the lead, easily following tracks only he could see. The boys had left the ranch and at one point their tracks stopped and massive pawprints began.

We kept tracking, Dusty talking back to us. "Looks like whatever these things are the boys met up with 'em. But no blood is a good sign." He said and I nodded. I was struggling with my emotions. Not just my fear about having something happen to my son but the idea of Tanith being there. I had no doubt she'd been to the ranch before and in our bed even if she didn't remember.

But I had to fight back my rage at the idea or I'd go Darquesse and never go back and I knew that is _exactly_ why Serpine had let her come. He was hoping I'd lose control and kill both her and Billy-Ray. She seemed to sense my pain and spoke. "Are you OK with me being here?" She asked gently.

I turned to her and smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. I don't like that you slept with Billy-Ray, but then you've slept with most of the Dead Men too." I teased and she batted me playfully.

"Oi! Not all of 'em! You're terrible, you are." She said but she was laughing and we were play fighting when Dusty turned around and shot us both a glare.

"Iffen you ladies don't mind, some stealth would be good right now." He warned and we stopped all of us falling silent. I sensed something. "They're all around us." Dusty said then cursed. I reached out into the night using my shadows. And recognized two of the beasts in the darkness. I set the shotgun and knife on the ground then took off my duster and held up my hands. Dusty did the same and dropped her sword to the ground. I walked forward then cupped my hands to my mouth and howled out a greeting in coyote. The tracks after all were pure coyote.

Answering howls greeted me, the song dogs of the plains coming closer as they sang. Soon two of the huge shaggy beasts came out of the darkness and into the patch moonlight where we stood. They were massive far larger than wolves, clearly coyote men. I crouched down to their level, knowing they were by and large a peaceful species.

I looked into the eyes of the nearest one and smiled. It was Night Hawk, there was no mistaking the intelligence and warm friendliness. I looked at the second who had kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut and laughed softly. "I can still see you, son." I said and he fearfully opened them, revealing the hollow sockets. "Come here, you." I said warmly and he barked happily and ran towards me, and soon we were play fighting, tumbling on the ground while the rest of the pack sang happily.

I stood up and rubbed his head affectionately. "Go on then. Your aunty Tanith made us think we had mangy poachers around." I said jerking a thumb towards her. But the coyotes followed so I was obliged to make introductions. "Tanith, this handsome fellah is my son, Billy-Ray Sanguine Jr. who neglected to tell his mom when he went coyote on her." I said mildly and she nodded. Jt dropped his head in shame then looked at me fearfully.

"For the love of- Your my son of course I still love you." I said and he looked much happier. "And that handsome fellah with him is Night Hawk. Who is gonna marry my boy some day and give me beautiful magically produced grandbabies." I teased. Night Hawk looked amused but Jr. whined in embarrassment.

The rest of the pack gathered around us, sniffing, rearing up on hind legs and checking us out eye to eye, cavorting and playing. A mother brought some pups forward to meet us and I knew we had found powerful new allies. Werecoyotes were peaceful and avoided fighting but if they were forced they would fight in humanoid form and were powerful magicians.

I explained to them I would be back shortly and shadow-walked back to get Billy-Ray, Dallas and and Ghastly. The pack greeted them as well, and it warmed my heart to see Jr. and the others shift to humanoid form and father and son greet each other with tight hugs. I knew we were being watched and was fairly sure it was Serpine, using some sort of remote viewing device.

I concentrated and could feel him. It didn't surprise me when a ghostly image appeared before us. "You're better than this, and you will be mine." He sneered.

I looked at him and smiled wickedly. "You're better? What are you anyway? A Dr. No wannabe who central casting rejected? With a manky hand of death? Pitiful, that's what you are. You touch my family and I'll skin you alive, you can count on it." I hissed and the image glared at me.

"You dare mock me?" He demanded.

"Mock you? I'm going to kill you." I promised and the image faded. Dusty sighed and rolled his eyes. Billy-Ray of course had found the whole exchange extremely funny. He was laughing and holding his sides.

"Nothing much scares you, does it?" He asked clearly amused.

"Nope, not by much." I replied smiling. I knew Serpine would be enraged by now but I also knew his IQ dropped into the single digits when he was angry and I couldn't wait for him to make the first move.

* * *

**Well, well. Valkyrie just had to go and rattle Serpine's cage, didn't she?**


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I don't own Billy-Ray, Valkyrie, Darquesse, Ghastly, Tanith, Skulduggery, Tipstaff or Serpine.

* * *

We had walked back to the house and had snuggled up into bed with Billy-Ray still laughing from time to time. I knew it was a risk getting Serpine that angry, but I also knew he wouldn't dare set foot on American soil or send anyone after us. The American Sanctuary would love any excuse to go wipe out the Irish Sanctuary once and for all, and although he hated pretty much everyone on the planet, he was sitting pretty on the Grand Mage throne of a Sanctuary that boasted a Cradle of Magic and not about to give it up.

"You're a fierce little Irish hellcat." Billy-Ray said fondly, stroking my hair. "I ain't never seen a man get let into like that. But you proved who you love, little darlin'. That you want me and the kids, and not to be rid of us." He said quietly I looked at him tenderly in the darkness knowing full well he could see me.

"How many times do I have to tell you you are loved?" I asked gently.

"Bein' that I was willin' to settle on a woman who didn't love me before on account of lovin' her so much-" He began and I sat up abruptly.

"You're still in love with her, aren't you? Maybe I should go to Ireland and you can fight Ghastly for her." I said bitterly and he sighed. Billy-Ray turned on the light and his arms wrapped around me from behind. I wanted to speak harsh words to him to take out on him all the anger, pain and humiliation Tanith being there was causing me when I looked over at the statue of Santa Muerte. She seemed to be looking back placidly.

I wondered if she was even there for me anymore. If now that I was Darquesse again I could ever have anyone. Everything was happening too fast, was too much to take in and I wanted very much to run to her for protection. Billy-Ray caught the direction of my gaze and kissed me softly. "It was you she brought me back to, little darlin', no one else. You remember that." He said gently and I gave him a shaky smile.

"Sorry, Billy-Ray, But it is hard having Tanith here. I told her it wasn't when she asked and I love her like a sister, but I've never known you to give up on something, not ever. I'm afraid of loosing you to her. That you're still in love with her and you always will be." I confessed and he made a soothing sound as he cuddled me in close.

"And I was afraid that that Serpine fellah might be attractive to you. Leastways he's got eyes where I don't." He said, clearly amused. "You do know if we kill him we're gonna have the Irish Sanctuary after us."

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't buy people being quite that stupid. Serpine's evil, he always has been. He may have influenced key people with Sensitives and used them to get the rest to fall in line. It would explain the entire Sanctuary liking him. Can you ever- Well you never met him that I recall, but trust me, Tipstaff would have protested. Of course maybe he did and he's dead now, but wouldn't it be funny if he ended up being the hero?" I asked, amused at the idea.

"Oh I seen him while I was sneakin' around the Sanctuary from time to time. Mousy fellah, but real polite. It would be funny if he was the hero considerin' that in my experience fellahs like that don't fight back all that well."

"Mmm. We're in it good this time, aren't we? And I just had to rattle his cage, but the man killed my uncle. I want him dead. Still, I can't help felling that maybe he is right. Maybe I do belong over there. I don't love him and I never will. But I can still remember all the times you fought Ghastly over Tanith. And if I go to him, you and the kids would be safe." I knew I wasn't thinking clearly, I was saying things I didn't mean to, hurting Billy-Ray, but it was like I couldn't stop myself.

Billy-Ray stiffened. "You don't trust me to be loyal? Is that it?" He growled. We were bordering dangerously on a fight and t felt like neither one of us could stop. Maybe it was what we deserved for ever thinking we had a chance. In the magical lifespan we'd barely been married yet. He could move on with Tanith, even though I knew it would kill Ghastly.

I felt tears come to my eyes and pulled away. Angered, Billy-Ray let me. I hated it when we argued. But we both had a jealous streak and were distrustful. I kept expecting him to cheat on me and realized I'd never quite trusted him. I didn't know what he thought of me and really didn't care at that point. I got up and dressed and left the bedroom, going outside. Billy-Ray didn't follow and I could feel his stony glare on my back as I left.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast I knew everyone knew we had fought and about what. Billy-Ray just glared at me sullenly and I sneered back at him. One of our fights was coming and it was going to be a terrible one. There was a knock on the door and I got up to get it, not really wanting to eat anyways.

I was as careful as I always was and went out to look at the wooden crate on the porch. I was uneasy. Texas was a wide open area, even though where we lived was greener I still should have seen someone. I looked back to the crate. There was a wax sealed envelope attached. An envelope that could have been poisoned, or an explosive or-

Skulduggery appeared at my side and looked down at the crate. "That's Serpine's seal. His family crest if I remember correctly. It appears he still intends to woo you, even after you angered him. You should find that most disturbing, Valkyrie. I know I do."

"Skulduggery, that aside could he have Sensitives in the area working against us? Or did Billy-Ray and I-"

"Make the mistake of a lifetime when we married? You tell me, little darlin'." Billy-Ray said as he appeared by my elbow, his face twisted in anger and pain. After a moment his face softened and he bundled me into him. I didn't resist even though my emotions were warring inside. Part of me, maybe the Darquesse part wanted to open that envelope, to see what Serpine had sent.

"I appreciate how hard this must be on you, little darlin', I do." Billy-Ray soothed as he stroked my hair. "But ain't nothin' worth havin' that was ever just handed to folks. You and me, we belong together. You know we do. Just hold on a little while longer, that's all I'm askin'." He said, his voice tender. I nodded and he rewarded me with a relieved smile than kissed me chastely. He bent down, drawing out his straight razor and tapped at the envelope.

"Good way to loose an arm iffen it was an explosive, you idiot." Dusty growled as he joined us.

"I don't think it is, Dusty." I said, defending Billy-Ray as they traded glares. "He wants me. Most likely to kill me and drain my power, or as bait for the Faceless Ones but he wants me. Serpine knows hurting me isn't going to work. Of course I'm rather leery of anything he sent. I don't want anyone touching any of it. We have to try and outmaneuver him. What would he expect us to do, Skulduggery?"

"Hmm. Well I'm the most likely candidate to open it since I'm dead. He's not fool enough to think you'd open it yourself after last night. But he knows you're curious, Valkyrie, and well, you don't have the best track record for being faithful." I shot him a look and he shrugged.

Billy-Ray made and inarticulate noise and I turned to him. "You what?" He sputtered. "Have you been goin' off behind my back when I've been gone?" He growled. I wanted to shoot back that he had no better reputation but our fight was interrupted by Tanith's arrival.

"Stop it, both of you! What has gotten in to you two? From what we could gather before we had to flee you two had one of the best marriages going. You were both faithful, so just stop it!" I looked at her and smiled faintly, nodding my thanks.

"Sorry." Biily-Ray and I both said at the same time, then he was holding me and kissing me gently. He pulled back to gaze at me adoringly. "So how about we figure out a way to get rid of this mess with no one gettin' hurt?" He asked hopefully and I nodded. Serpine was playing mind games with us. He knew I'd worry that no matter what I did he'd have anticipated it.

But I didn't want anyone exposed to whatever was it the box. "We aren't burning it, that's for sure." I said and he stared at me. "Are you forgetting _Return of the Living Dead_? How the smoke from the burned zombies made a rain that made things worse?"

"You think it will make zombies?" Billy-Ray asked doubtfully.

"No, but a woman scorned will burn the make up gifts or trash them in a rage." I said. "I'm sure even Serpine's aware of that."

Tanith nodded happily. "Right you are, sis. Since we don't know what it will do no matter what we do to it, we need to all go back inside. Unless of course it is designed to go off after sitting here."

Night Hawk who had joined us looked down at the crate and laughed. "It's a dress and a love letter, nothing done to it. God, you people are paranoid." He continued off the porch Jr. trailing happily after him. There were several beats of embarrassed silence then Skulduggery spoke up cheerfully.

"A new dress, I knew that of course. I just wanted to see if you still remembered anything I'd taught you." He lied and we all laughed.

* * *

Billy-Ray insisted on seeing both the letter, which he burned without showing me and the dress which he seemed to like. "You're keepin' the dress. I can't get you to buy one, so you're keepin' it." He said with a decisive nod. I stared at him. "What? You'd look right pretty in it, sweetie, you know you would." He said, changing tactics and putting a pleading note in his voice.

"I suppose there's no harm in keeping it, but I'd rather it had come from you. I don't want anything from that man, you know that." I said.

"Aww, come on. Keep it for me, you can try it on if you like." He wheedled and I sighed. I picked up the dress. Red velvet it was certainly not something I'd have picked for myself, but it was beautiful. Still I was uneasy. I went Darquesse and examined it, looking for hidden magic or poisons. Nothing.

"See? Just like Night Hawk told us. It's fine. So try it on, pretty please?" Billy-Ray begged and I couldn't resist the smile in his voice. I went to our bedroom and he followed, making appreciate comments as I changed.

I got the dress on and looked it the mirror. I did look good, in fact I looked fantastic. Billy-Ray came over and put his hands on my bare shoulders. "You look beautiful, sweetheart. Truly my dream girl, little darlin'. Now let's say we get you out of that dress for a few hours and make up, hmm?" He asked with a purr and I responded with a searing kiss.

* * *

Hours later as we drowsed in each other's arms I was thinking idly of the dress. There had to be something wrong with it. I looked at Billy-Ray. "Honey, what did the letter say?"

"Oh, that. Only that if you chose to accept that dress you were acceptin' him, is all. You ever heard of anythin' so foolish in all your born life? He went on to say as how he'd always be as close as your skin when you wore it. Can't figure that out. Man is crazy, is what he is."

I felt my heart ice over. I got up, dressed, and Billy-Ray followed suit. I grabbed the dress, feeling the hemline until I found it. There was a tiny medal sewn in of some kind and I could feel the sigil. I remembered that they could be hidden so well that even experts couldn't find them and sighed. The moment I traced the sigil with my finger Serpine appeared. He ignored Billy-Ray, keeping his eyes locked on me. He wasn't just a vision now but flesh and blood. He grinned at me in easy triumph. "That sigil you just traced? Brought me here. Sealed our bond forever. You're mine now." He said grabbing for me.

Billy-Ray leapt at him with a roar, straight razor at the ready, but it was child's play for Serpine to knock him back against the wall. Billy-Ray slid down the wall, not moving, out cold. I felt a rage sweep threw me and grabbed Serpine to me, stripping the glove off his red hand. I held on tightly as my darkness flowed over me then used my magic to send the power of that hand back into him, letting it loop and build until I turned it against him. Serpine screamed, he twisted and jerked helplessly, then he died a second time.

Skulduggery who had rushed in to see what was going on looked at Serpine's dead body and his facade smiled. "Good." He said and walked back out.

* * *

When Billy-Ray came to were were able to get rid of the body. With Serpine gone the Sensitives he'd indeed been using needed hunted down and Ghastly, Tanith and Skulduggery left us to help rebuild Ireland's Sanctuary. We saw then off at the airport then Billy-Ray turned to me. "They wanted you back, little darlin'. You could've went with 'em."

"My home's with you, Billy-Ray, and the kids, though I think they're about to leave the nest. I chose you all those years ago and I chose you now, I love you. Now let's go home. We've got a ranch to run."

Billy-Ray smiled and escorted me out of the airport. He stopped me before helping me into the truck. "I love you, Valkyrie Cain." He said kissing me gently, and really in the end that was all there was to say.

* * *

**Hope you liked the ending!**


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